Guns and Roses
by nerdy12
Summary: Dr. Levy McGarden finds a badly injured man near her home. She can't just leave him to die, so she brings him home and patches him up. Little does she know her life will be forever changed by this simple act of kindness. Just who was it that she rescued? What dangers await her? (Mafia AU. Rated M for language & violence.) FairyTail is owned by Hiro Mashima.
1. Arch-1 Encounter

**Chapter 1**

It was another late night shift. Levy Mcgarden sighed heavily as she walked home, her feet dragging as weariness settled over her. She couldn't keep doing these 16 hour shifts back to back; they were really starting to get to her. But she just felt so bad for taking time off, because that left only Wendy-chan and Charla-san to check up on patients. Why were they so short staffed lately? It made the only three doctors available in her unit work extra hard, and wear themselves out.

Levy let out another sigh. Whatever. She just wanted to get to her little apartment and get some well-deserved sleep. That, however, was not to happen anytime soon... as Levy suddenly heard a commotion going on in the alley next to her apartment building. She froze, fearing it was hooligans coming to mug her, but nobody came out of the alley, and the sounds had been silenced. Still, she listened... and then she heard it, a low moan of pain. She would recognize that sound anywhere. Feeling instincts kick in, she hurried into the alley, heedless of her own safety. She found someone lying behind a dumpster, and her eyes went wide. It was a man, a handsome one at that, with iron studs all over his face and arms. He had long and wild black hair, and he was wearing a rather nice suit, which was now quite dirty. The sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows, letting Levy see his arms and, more importantly, the blood that covered his hands. He was pressing his hands against his side, and his breathing was ragged, no doubt from the pain. He took a moment before he noticed her, and then he locked eyes with her. Crimson, the color of the blood on his hands... she found his eyes frightening yet alluring at the same time.

"Go... away. Forget you saw me, short stuff." The man's voice was gruff and forceful as he glared at her.

"You're hurt."

"No shit, Sherlock." he growled, before wincing in pain and clutching his side again. She hurried to his side but he shot an arm out and kept her at arm's length. "If you know what's good for you, leave now and forget you ever saw me. I won't be responsible for what happens if you don't." he warned her sternly. Levy was close enough to clearly see a bullet hole in his blood stained shirt... and the gun lying on the ground. She suddenly realized why he was telling her to leave. This man was involved with dangerous people, probably even was a dangerous person. But what kind of doctor was she if she just left someone to die?

"I'm responsible for my own decisions, and I've decided to help you. Are you going to let me get that bullet out of you or not?" Levy said, surprising herself with her determination. She'd never been a brave person but, seeing this man injured like this, she couldn't just leave him. He stared at her for a long moment, before giving a light smirk.

"You're a fiery little shrimp, ain't ya?" he chuckled and then flinched in pain again. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn ya."

Five minutes later found Levy halfway carrying the man into her apartment. She somehow managed to close and lock the door before leading the man to sit on her couch while she went to grab her first aid kit. When she returned she found he had already removed his shirt, and was checking out the wound himself. She went over to him and inspected the injury also. "You know, if that had been an inch higher, it would have pierced your lung." Levy told him as she gathered up the tools she needed. She grabbed some rubbing alcohol and looked up at him. "This is going to hurt, but I need to disinfect it."

"Do it." he huffed out, already bracing himself for the pain. Levy poured the alcohol over the wound and he tensed up, but didn't make a sound. The alcohol helped clear away some of the blood and she got a better look at the injury. It was pretty clean and, luckily, not too deep. She could see the shiny metal of the bullet already. Still, it was going to hurt like a mother when she had to pull it out. She stood and hurried into the kitchen, coming back with a bottle of whiskey. She handed it to him.

"For the pain." she said as she pulled out her medical pliers. He grunted out a thanks and took a long swig while she disinfected her tools. "Brace yourself." She warned, and then she dug into the wound for the bullet. He hissed and gripped at her couch with enough force to rip the fabric. Levy tried her best to hurry, but it was a solid minute before she was able to pull the bullet out. She quickly poured more alcohol into the wound to disinfect it, and then applied some ointment to prevent infection. "I don't have hospital grade medicine here... but as long as you clean that daily and don't reopen it, you should heal up fine." Levy told the man as she set about bandaging the wound.

"Oi, you some kind of doctor, or something, shorty?" the man questioned.

"As a matter of fact, I am." Levy huffed. "And the name is Levy. Not shorty, not short stuff, and not shrimp." She said firmly, to which he smirked.

"I'll call ya whatever I want, shrimp." he grinned. Then his eyes turned serious and he suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her up to be eye level with him. "Oi. You never saw me, got it? I was never here. That's what you tell the cops if they show up." He told her sternly. "I owe ya for this, so I really don't wanna have to silence ya, but I will."

"Y-you don't have to worry." Levy huffed, looking away. "I won't tell anyone. I'm not stupid enough to upset the mafia." The man chuckled at that.

"You're smarter than you look, shrimp. What gave it away?" He grinned.

"Y-your gun... it had the Fairy Tail symbol on it." she admitted. The man just chuckled again.

"I have the feeling I can trust ya, shrimp. Don't make me regret telling ya more than ya need to know." he warned before smirking. "The name's Gajeel." He grinned when her eyes went wide as saucers at this information. "So ya've heard of me."

"Y-y-you're the... D-Don's son..."

"Un. And I owe you one. I pay back my debts so, until I do, yer under my protection... shrimp."

* * *

Hello! In case you don't know me, my name is Everythingnerd12. If you do know me, I apologize for the lack of updates on my other stories, but this one has been rattling around in my head for a long time so I'm finally putting it out.

Anyways, nice to meet you all. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter of my newest story. Please tell me what you think.

Next update should be out fairly soon.

Thanks for Reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	2. Good Samaritan

**Chapter 2**

Levy didn't know what to think of this... situation. She'd patched up a mafia member. Not just that, but he was the Don's own son. Metalicana Redfox was the most fearsome crime lord in all of Magnolia. With just one word, anyone could be... disappeared. His word was law, and he had very close ties to the government... and everyone who was anyone knew this. The police couldn't find out who his connections were, however, no matter how hard they dug. They were actively trying to bring down Fairy Tail for good, but they didn't seem to understand this one thing... Don Metalicana ruled this city. But his rule was far better than living under Phantom Lord's thumb. Fairy Tail kept them away, and kept most of the citizens of Magnolia leading their normal lives. Still, anyone who crossed Fairy Tail was as good as dead.

And Levy had the Don's son in her apartment. And he was saying she was under his protection? She... she just didn't know what to do, what to think.

"Gihi, I'm not gonna hurt ya, shrimp. Don't go gettin all scared all of a sudden." Gajeel smirked as he watched Levy pace in her kitchen. He could practically see the gears turning in her head as she tried to figure out what to do. He knew she wasn't stupid enough to report anything to the cops, but she was rightfully worried about having the Don's son in her home.

"You expect me not to freak out about having the sole heir to Fairy Tail in my home and saying I'm under his protection now?" Levy frowned at him. "W-what does that even entail, anyways?"

"Simple." Gajeel smirked, throwing his arms behind his head as he leaned back against the couch. "I owe you my life so, until I return the favor, I'm gonna make sure you stay safe."

"I-I can handle that on my own. It's not like I'm in danger, anyways. I'm just a doctor. I work in the maternity ward, for crying out loud. Nothing about my life is dangerous." Levy worried her lip as she continued to pace.

"It is, now." Gajeel scoffed. "Like it or not, shrimp, you're technically harboring a criminal in your home. Plus, someone was out looking for me when you came by, wanting to finish the job. If they find out you helped me..." he trailed off, letting her get the picture. Her eyes went wide and she let out a deep sigh as she sank to the floor.

"Why can't I just be the good Samaritan who knows nothing?"

"Because you know too much." Gajeel gave a dark chuckle. "To be fair, shrimp, I did tell you to leave me there."

"I couldn't do that. It would have gone against everything I stood for, if I left you there to die." Levy pouted as she looked down at the floor. Gajeel stood up, wincing slightly as his wound stretched, and he walked over to her.

"Oi." he got her attention and she looked up at him. "I ain't gonna say this again. But thank you. You probably saved my hide. That's why I'm tryin to return the favor. Ya don't gotta worry about the cops going after ya, and I can protect you from the people that were going after me. So don't worry so much." He reached down and gently pulled her to her feet. Levy blushed lightly as she found herself face-to-chest with him, but she smiled softly at his words. He sounded sincere, and that really put her at ease. Then he chuckled all of a sudden, which made her look up at him in confusion. "Gihihi you're really a shrimp. It's cute." he chuckled, patting her head teasingly. Levy flushed with anger and turned away, pouting.

"Stop. I hate being called short." she mumbled out, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ah, you're not short. You're just snack sized, is all. Gihihi." he laughed loudly now. Then he suddenly winced in pain and clutched at his side.

"H-hey, don't overdo it." Levy quickly urged him back to the couch. He sat down with her help, and then pulled her down onto his lap. She fell onto him with a cry of surprise, to which he laughed at.

"Don't you think it's a bit too soon to be falling for me, shrimp? I haven't even taken ya on a date yet." he laughed. Levy blushed fiercely at this and tried to stand up, but he held her in place with little effort. "Oi, that reminds me. There a guy in the picture? Or anyone that lives with ya? Cause my protection only extends to you and if they find out about me I'll have ta silence them."

"N-no. I live alone a-and I haven't dated anyone since high school." Levy blushed, not meeting his eyes. "Nobody's going to find out about you."

"Good, let's keep it that way." Gajeel nodded to himself, finally releasing Levy. She hurried off his lap, still blushing much to his amusement. "Oi. I'm gonna crash on your couch tonight, and someone's gonna pick me up tomorrow. In case I'm gone before you wake up." He pulled out a cheap flip phone and handed it to her. "Only number in there is mine. You call me if you ever feel unsafe." he told her firmly. She nodded in understanding. "Keep it on you at all times. Once you use it, throw it away in a public trash can. I'll give you a new one."

"O-okay." Levy nodded. Then she shifted nervously. "Um, d-do you need anything before I go to bed?"

"Nah, just let me borrow a pillow, and I'll be good." he sighed. She nodded and went to get a pillow and a blanket for him. She made sure he was comfortable before she turned in for the night. It took her a long time to fall asleep. She still didn't know what to think about all this. Eventually exhaustion won out over her worry, and sleep finally claimed her.

* * *

Kind of a short chapter, I know, but longer ones are coming in the future, don't worry. Sorry for the lack of action, but that's also coming. Just bear with me.

Anyways, let me know what you think. I love reviews!

thanks!

-Everythingnerd12


	3. Parting Ways

**Chapter 3**

Levy tiptoed through her apartment, trying to be as quiet as she could. On her couch, Gajeel was still sleeping soundly. She glanced at the clock. It was 4:30 in the morning. Gajeel said he might be gone before she woke up, but she guessed he didn't realize just how early she woke up every day. So she let him sleep as she sneaked into the kitchen and started making breakfast as quietly as possible.

It was around 5 when she finally sat down at the table to eat her full English breakfast. She needed the energy it would give her, because she had another 16 hours shift today. She even made a portion for Gajeel, thinking he would need it after losing all that blood. Just as she was thinking about him, he appeared in the doorway of her kitchen.

"Oi, you're up pretty early, huh?" he looked down at her as she ate.

"I have to go to work soon. I'm normally up around this time." Levy shrugged, then motioned to the second plate on her table. "I made some for you, if you want. Figured you'd be hungry."

"Un. Thanks." he accepted, taking a seat across from her and digging in. "You're a pretty good cook, shrimp. How come yer a doctor and not a chef?" he snickered.

"I've always been interested in medicine, and working in the maternity ward is my dream job." Levy smiled lightly. "I don't really enjoy cooking, it's just something I have to do that I guess I'm just naturally good at." She shrugged, earning a smirk from Gajeel.

"I can relate." he chuckled. When she looked at him curiously he shook his head. "I'm not gonna tell ya the details, shrimp. Maybe when ya trust me more." he smirked at her, but his eyes were serious so she dropped it.

"Er... I meant to ask." Levy looked up at him. "Um, how did you end up like that, last night?"

"Shrimp, the less you know, the safer you'll be." he told her firmly. "I'd rather not bring you into my lifestyle. You're better off being a doctor."

"I'm sorry. I'm just curious." Levy sighed, letting it drop as she returned to her meal.

"Curiosity killed the cat, shrimp. Trust me. I'm trying to protect you, but I can only do so much, so don't go snooping around." he warned. Levy could only nod to this. He was right. She shouldn't go snooping around with anything to do with the mafia. It was for her own good. "Good girl. Just do what I tell you, and you'll be safe."

* * *

Half an hour later found Levy and Gajeel leaving her apartment together. Gajeel made sure Levy locked her door before he spoke to her again. "I'm gonna send someone to keep constant watch on your apartment, shrimp. You're on the ground floor; it's easiest to break into."

"Y-you don't have to do that." Levy tried to dissuade him but he shook his head.

"My honor's on the line, shrimp. I will pay back my debt. Besides..." he trailed off and looked away, scratching the back of his head. "You're a good person. It would be an honest shame if something bad happened to someone like you, just cause you were tryin ta help someone in need." Levy blushed at his praise. He really thought she was a good person? "Look, just let me do this for ya."

"I... alright." Levy gave in. "Thank you... Gajeel." She gave a small smile, which he returned.

"My ride's almost here. You got that phone on you?" Gajeel looked at her and she nodded, taking out the phone to show him. "Keep that on you at all times, Shrimp." He reminded her. Levy just nodded, and looked at the street as a black van pulled up. Gajeel grinned. "That's my ride. Seriously, shrimp. Thanks. And don't worry about bein in danger or anything like that. I keep my promises." He gave her one last smirk before hurrying to the van. Levy watched him leave, feeling mixed emotions about his departure. She should be glad he was gone but... he was nice company. Despite the teasing. It had been nice to have someone in her apartment with her for a change. She sighed heavily as she set out for work. She sure was one pathetic, lonely doctor now that she thought about it. She hadn't had any friends since high school, hadn't dated since high school. The last person she'd had in her apartment had been her landlord on the day she rented the place. It had been... lonely.

And Gajeel, despite the situation she was now in, he'd completely changed the atmosphere of her home. Talking to him over breakfast had been really nice. She started to realize the allure of having guests in her home.

Dammit, she was lonely.

* * *

"Dr. Mcgarden, you look positively pale." Wendy commented when Levy finally made her way into work. "Are you sick?"

"No, just... didn't get a lot of sleep last night." Levy admitted around a yawn.

"No wonder. You got off late last night and now you're here at this hour. You need a break, ma'am." Wendy shook her head at the senior doctor. She never understood why Levy insisted on pushing herself so hard.

"I'm fine. Just need... coffee." Levy groaned as she poured herself a large cup.

"Dr. Mcgarden, I insist. You're going to work yourself to death at this rate." Wendy put her foot down. "Charla and I can pick up some extra shifts; it's not a problem at all." Levy was too tired to argue. She looked at her schedule on her phone and sighed.

"Alright. After Mrs. Fullbuster has her baby, I'll take a week off." Levy sighed in surrender. Juvia Fullbuster was due to deliver in the next three days, and that would give Levy time to work ahead so Wendy and Charla didn't have extra work to do. Wendy gave a little cheer of victory, and the rest of the day proceeded as usual.

* * *

Another short chapter, sorry! But I plan on the next one being longer.

Anyways, tell me what you think! I know it's a little slow right now but I promise some action is going to come soon.

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	4. Return

**Chapter 4**

"What a day." Levy sighed heavily as she all but crawled back to her apartment. This had been the longest day yet. She'd gotten a call early that morning that Mrs. Fullbuster was in labor, so she hurried to the hospital. Only to wait 13 hours for the birth to happen. After tending to both the baby and the mother, and making sure both were healthy and happy, Levy finally went home... a grueling 20 hours after she left. But now... now she had a week off! And while she felt bad about making Wendy and Charla work more, she couldn't be happier. She hadn't had a week off in over a year!

"Sure took ya long enough to get home, shrimp. Was startin to get worried." a familiar voice suddenly filled her ears, making her jump in surprise. She turned and found Gajeel sitting on her couch, looking like he owned the damn thing. That smirk of his was on his face as he looked her over. "You look like a wreck. What happened to you?"

"W-what are you doing here?" Levy questioned warily. "How did you even get in here?"

"Window. Told ya the ground floor apartments are easy to break into." He chuckled. "Now answer my question."

"You didn't answer why you're here." Levy narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. He just grinned.

"I'll get to that in a second." Then he looked at her expectantly. She sighed heavily and dropped her bag by the door.

"A 20 hour shift and a complicated delivery are what happened to me." she told him as she went to the kitchen. She needed a drink, dammit. After a long day like this, and now she had to worry about the mafia in her home once again... she was getting a headache. She grabbed her bottle of whiskey and two glasses. Might as well be a good host. Then she went back to the living room and sat down on the couch next to him, but kept herself at a distance. "How's the wound?" she asked as she poured a glass and handed it to him. He took it with a grin and took a sip.

"Healing. Had our personal doc take a look. He was impressed with your work." Gajeel chuckled. "And that kind of brings me to why I'm here." Levy glanced at him. "My old man found out about you. Wants to meet the chick who saved his son's life, and all that." Levy paled at that. The Don... he wanted to meet her? "Oi, don't go freaking out on me now. I know it's intimidating... but you really don't gotta worry. I won't let nothin happen to ya."

"T-that doesn't make me feel any better." Levy finished off her glass of whiskey and poured another one. Gajeel raised an eyebrow at her.

"Didn't take you for a hard drinker."

"I've had a day from hell and it keeps going on. Do you blame me?" Levy sighed heavily. Gajeel just chuckled.

"Look, shrimp, my old man just wants to thank ya for savin my ass. You really don't gotta worry." He told her in hopes of calming her down. "Besides, it's not like we gotta go right now. You look like you've been to hell and back. When's your next day off? I can take you to him then."

"I have a week off starting now." Levy sighed heavily. "My coworkers made me take a break so I don't work myself to an early grave."

"From the looks of you I'd say that's a good call. Gihi." Gajeel chuckled, knocking back the last of his drink. He took what was left of Levy's drink from her and knocked that back, despite her protests. "Ya don't need it, shrimp. Look, just go to bed and sleep in for once. I'll be back around noon to pick you up." He grabbed the bottle of whiskey and went to put it back in her kitchen before she could pour herself another drink. When he came back into the living room she'd already fallen asleep. He just smirked. It was obvious even to him that she was working herself to exhaustion.

He took a moment to just look at her. He didn't understand why he was so drawn to this girl, why he felt the need to protect her. Sure, he owed her for patching him up, but that was just about honor and repaying debts. It did not explain this urge to protect her even from herself. If she'd told him she was pulling another long shift tomorrow, he would have made some excuse about his father wanting to see her right away. That way she would have to take at least a day off. He'd never actually wanted to protect someone, like he did with this girl. It was... baffling.

Maybe it had something to do with that night. The moment he'd first laid eyes on her, he thought he'd already died and she was an angel come to lead him to the afterlife. Yea, cheesy, he knows. But with the mix of pain and blood loss, that's what he'd thought. But then he came back to reality and saw this short little woman staring at him with wide hazel eyes and a look of pure concern for another human being. He knew in that moment that she was a good person. Too pure to become involved in his life. So he tried to make her leave, for her own good.

And then those innocent eyes filled with fire. She was determined to help him and she wouldn't take no for an answer. This pure, innocent-looking little thing of a woman had a temper. And, damn, did that stir something in him. So he conceded, seeing that he couldn't dissuade her even though she clearly knew even talking to him was dangerous. He was impressed with how she handled treating his injury. She didn't flinch, didn't panic. She just pulled her hair back, rolled up her sleeves, and calmly set about getting down to business.

The only time he saw her panic, was when she found out who he was. His name was well known throughout the city. His face, not so much. Everyone knew of Black Steel Gajeel, the only son of Don Metalicana, and the second most dangerous man in the city. Everyone knew his name, and most knew that there was a reason nobody knew what he looked like. Meeting Black Steel was a death sentence. Levy didn't seem to know about the whole death sentence stuff, seeing as she was just freaking out about the Don's son being in her home and claiming she was under his protection. It took him a while to calm her down and make her accept his offer of protection. She only accepted because he obviously wasn't going to let her deny him.

Gajeel thought it was cute, how she panicked about his claim of protection rather than having a mafia member in her home. She didn't even flinch at a bullet wound, yet she was freaking out over him wanting to protect her. What a weird shrimp. And then he teased her about her height, and she stopped panicking as her temper flared again. Being called short was obviously something that she hated. Her mood deflated as she admitted she hated being called short, and Gajeel suddenly felt... guilty. So he tried to cheer her up, called her snack sized instead, and then faked being in pain from laughing too hard to get her mind off the subject.

He couldn't resist teasing her more, he really couldn't. It was too easy with this girl. He teased her about falling for him already and, instead of getting mad, she... blushed. And Gajeel suddenly found his favorite expression to see on her face. He decided that was when his urge to protect her came up. He felt something at seeing her blush like that... he couldn't describe it, but he felt something stir in him. And it wasn't lust. He was no stranger to that feeling. No, this went deeper. And he suddenly found himself asking if there was a guy in the picture. He was about to leave it at that, but he added on 'anyone living with you,' to cover his slip. When she said no to both, that odd feeling he had grew stronger. He suddenly didn't know what to feel or how to act, so he decided it was time for bed. Anything to give him some space from her so he could think.

Thinking about it didn't help one bit. He was up most of the night 'thinking' but drew a blank as to what that weird feeling was. All he knew was that this girl was perfect, too perfect for him. He didn't want to bring her into his dark lifestyle, didn't want to corrupt her. So he wouldn't pursue her, like he wanted. If he couldn't have her, he could at least protect her. He just never knew the urge to protect her would grow this strong... in just three days, no less. He hadn't even seen her since that day, but he wanted to make sure she was safe at all costs. She didn't know it, but he had someone watching her at all times. Even had a nurse that owed him at the hospital change units so she could inconspicuously keep an eye on her at work.

Gajeel let out a sigh as he walked over to where the shrimp was sleeping on the couch. She was dead to the world, he knew, and he knew from experience that her couch wasn't very comfortable. He gently scooped the sleeping woman up into his arms and carried her to her room. She was light as a feather in his arms, and Gajeel wasn't sure that was a good thing. Taking a closer look at her, he decided she was quite underfed. He would change that. But, only after she got a full night's sleep for a change.

Her room surprised him. All around her room, piled almost as tall as he was, were books, books, and more books. There had to be at least a hundred books in her room, taking up most of the space in the surprisingly tiny bedroom. What's more, she was sleeping on a twin mattress, of all things, probably so she had more space for her books. Apart from the books and her bed, the only other thing in her room was a nightstand with her current book of choice open at the last page she'd read. He laid her down on her bed and pulled the blanket over her before looking around some more. Where the hell did she keep her clothes in this place? He spotted a closet and grinned as he walked over to it.

Gajeel pulled out an orange day dress and some brown loafers and set them on a stack of books next to her bed. He left her a note to wear that to the meeting with his father, and then he left her to get some well deserved sleep. She needed it, especially since she would be meeting the patriarch of Fairy Tail tomorrow. Yes, she certainly needed it.

* * *

Yay, a little bit of a longer chapter for you guys, with some insight on Gajeel's take on things. Hope you liked it!

Please review, I love getting comments and suggestions.

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	5. Meeting the Boss

**Chapter 5**

"Oi, would ya chill out, already?" Gajeel huffed lightly as Levy worried her lip and fidgeted with her dress for the ten thousandth time. She was, understandably, nervous about being in a van full of mafia members, one of which was the Don's son. And, of course, she had due reason to be nervous about meeting the Don, himself, in just a few minutes. But Levy looked like she was about to have a panic attack. "Seriously, shrimp, you're stressing me out, just looking at ya."

"I'm surrounded by gangsters and I'm going to meet the most notorious crime boss in the city, and you expect me not to freak out?" Levy pointed out. He sighed, giving her that, at least. "W-why does he want to meet me, again? I-I'm just a doctor... I-I work with pregnant mothers and babies. I'm no one special."

"I wouldn't go questioning the boss, lady. That's one way to end up disappearing." The driver commented. Gajeel glared at him.

"Oi, the shrimp's under my protection. Treat her as such."

"Y-yes, sir." Gajeel still glared at him to get his point across, but the damage was done. Levy heard the driver and was now officially freaking out.

"I don't wanna disappear..." Levy all but cried.

"H-hey. Calm down, shrimp. You ain't in any danger." He assured her. "I wouldn't have agreed to introduce you to my old man if I'd thought he'd be likely to off ya. I know my old man. He just wants to see you and judge your character. Trust me, shrimp. If I like ya, my pop will like ya, too."

"R-really?" Levy looked up at him, slowly starting to relax at his words.

"Promise. You ain't in danger. If anything, he will probably reward ya for helping me." Gajeel told her.

"B-b-but I didn't do it for a reward, I-"

"I know that, shrimp. You're just a good person." Gajeel grinned, placing a hand on her head. She blushed lightly at the affection. "Look, just go with the flow, when you meet him, okay? Don't worry bout a thing."

* * *

Don Metalicana Redfox really stood up to his reputation as the most fearsome crime lord in the city. He was tall and muscular, with silvery-white hair that looked almost like metal. A strong, squarish face added to his fearsome stature, making him look incredibly strong and intimidating. His eyes were narrow and such a dark shade of brown Levy could have sworn they were nearly black.

He stood in the middle of what had to be the largest entry room she'd ever seen. To each side of the room, men in suits stood at attention. Levy fought the urge to gulp when she realized each man was heavily armed with various weapons. She followed Gajeel closely, feeling much safer next to him despite knowing that he was one of these members... and that he was also armed with several weapons. Thankfully, for her sake, his weapons were hidden from sight.

Gajeel led Levy across the room, stopping just in front of his father. Metalicana said nothing, merely nodded in acknowledgement of his son. Gajeel gave a brisk nod back, before moving a rather frightened Levy to stand in front of him, pulling her out from her hiding place behind him. Gajeel put his hands on her shoulders... to comfort her or keep her from running, she didn't know which. She looked up at the powerful mob boss and he stared back... and she felt as if those blackish eyes of his were searching her very soul. Several long moments passed before anyone spoke.

"So you're the woman that saved my whelp of an heir." The Don's voice was deep and loud... booming. Levy would have jumped in fright, had Gajeel not been holding her like he was.

"Y-yes, sir." Levy confirmed nervously. Metalicana stared at her a moment longer before he began to pace.

"Levy McGarden. Age 22. Profession, OBGYN. You graduated high school at the age of sixteen, and finished med school by the time you were nineteen. Perfect attendance, perfect grades, letters of recommendation from every professor, graduated top of your class... you have quite the impressive record, young lady." Metalicana stopped his pacing to grin at her, and Levy found out then where Gajeel got that particular trait from. "It's a shame you were dragged into this world, simply by being a good Samaritan. I'm sure my son has told you of all the dangers that come with simply knowing who he is, let alone having any interaction with him."

"Y-yes, sir, I'm well aware." Levy nodded shakily. He knew so much about her. It was positively terrifying to know that he had that kind of power, to be able to learn this much about her so quickly.

"I've been told my son promised you a life debt." The Don continued, looking at his son now. "He's placed you under his protection until a time comes when he can repay you for saving his life." Levy could only nod. She was terrified right now. The only thing keeping her from passing out from fear was the feeling of Gajeel's thumbs rubbing circles into her shoulders. He was... comforting her? "How do you feel about this?"

"I-I... I was just helping someone in n-need, sir. I never expected to be r-repaid and I don't know w-what to think of it. I would have been happy just knowing h-he was alright." she admitted to the Don. He stared at her for a long moment before smirking.

"You have a kind soul, Miss McGarden. I can tell. It is... refreshing to see, considering the company I keep." he gave a dark chuckle, and some of the men in the room laughed along with him. "I like you, young lady. Men, make sure to treat this young one with the respect she is due." A couple of grunts of affirmation filled the air. "Come, we will talk more privately in my study." That said, the Don turned and walked away. Gajeel gently motioned her forward, urging her to follow him, and then he released her shoulders in order to walk beside her. They followed the patriarch to his study, where he had both of them sit down.

"Boy." Metalicana addressed Gajeel now. "How much have you told this young lady?"

"Not a lot. Just who I am, who you are, and that someone was after me that night that might go after her if they knew she helped me." Gajeel shrugged. "Not enough to bring her too far into this lifestyle. Why?" He asked his father suspiciously. The Don grinned, and Levy fought off a shiver. That grin was pure evil.

"Wouldn't you say, boy, that that's already enough to have brought her into this life? She knows our faces, and now she knows where our base is. I'm afraid I can't simply let that slide." Levy swallowed nervously at his tone. G-Gajeel promised she didn't have anything to worry about. Why... why was his father acting like he was going to silence her?

"Pops, come on. I'm tryin to keep her life as normal as possible." Gajeel scowled at his father.

"Normal, huh?" Metalicana turned to his computer and pulled up a file. Then he turned the computer screen around. Levy gasped at what she saw, and tears started to fill her eyes. "They know who she is, already, and that she helped you. Not even ten minutes after you left, they sent someone to kill her." On the screen, Levy saw a picture of her apartment building, with smoke coming out of the bottom floor, specifically coming out of her own apartment unit. Cops and firemen were all around the place. "That, dear Levy, is a warning from Phantom Lord. When they couldn't find you, they set your apartment on fire. If my boy hadn't had someone watching your apartment, you wouldn't have found this out until you got home."

"My... my home..." Levy couldn't take her eyes away from the screen. What would she do? Everything she owned was in there, all her clothes and books, and her pictures... the only pictures she had left of her parents!

"I've gotten reports that the damage isn't as bad as it looks, and you'll be able to live there again. But you need to know, young lady, that you can't truly have a normal life anymore." Metalicana told her firmly. "You know too much, and you've been seen helping my boy. The way I see it, you've only got a few choices."

"C-choices?" Levy sniffed.

"For your own safety." he specified. "You can skip town and change your name. But you'd have to start from scratch and you couldn't be a doctor anymore." Metalicana rubbed his chin in thought. "Or you can join Fairy Tail. We take care of our own. But you'd have to understand what that entails, young lady."

"Pops, come on." Gajeel growled. "Why is my claim of protection not enough, huh?"

"Because it's nullified the first time you save her life. And Phantom Lord won't give up on her just because you protect her once." The Don pointed out.

"What if I change my protection claim, huh? I don't wanna protect her just cause of a life debt. I wanna protect her cause I just wanna protect her." Gajeel declared. Levy blushed a little at this. What... what did he mean by that? He wanted to protect her... even if he didn't owe her?

"Boy, do you realize what you're implying by saying that?" The Don raised an eyebrow at his son.

"Che, of course I do! The only reason I didn't make that claim from the start was cause I didn't want her to get dragged into this life. But since she's already in too deep, I might as well!" Gajeel huffed. He acted like he didn't like having to make this claim on her, but he was honestly rather happy about it. He hadn't pursued the shrimp because he didn't want to put her in even more danger. That's why he'd decided on the life debt. It was a way to protect her without bringing her in too deep. Now, however, he couldn't say he wasn't pleased at the chance to openly pursue Levy in a romantic way.

"I-I don't understand." Levy mumbled when the father and son had resorted to a stare down. What type of claim were they talking about? Why were they making such a big deal about it?

"Tell her, boy, if that's what your decision is." Metalicana sighed, giving in to his son's wishes. Gajeel smirked in triumph and turned to face Levy.

"Shrimp, er... Levy. Go out with me." He offered, holding out a hand to the surprised girl. Levy blushed as she looked up at him. He was... asking her out? "You'll have my protection for as long as you're my girl, and you won't have to worry about skipping town or joining a gang. Besides... I've wanted to ask you out since that night. I just didn't do it cause you're too pure for this life, and I didn't wanna drag you into my family's affairs like this."

"I... I..."Levy didn't know what to say, or what to do. She hasn't dated anyone since high school. She couldn't deny that she found Gajeel quite attractive, or that she felt unusually comfortable around him, despite knowing he was the Don's son. She supposed... it really couldn't hurt. But she didn't even remember how to date!

"Look, just go on one date with me, shrimp. If you're not sure by the end of it, my life debt still stands, and you can decide what you wanna do then." Gajeel offered to her.

"I-I... alright." Levy agreed with a blush. "One date."

* * *

Finally got out a little bit of a longer chapter for you guys. Sorry if this seemed like it jumped around a little bit. But things are picking up. Levy is in danger now, and Gajeel is her only form of protection for what is to come.

Tell me what you guys think! I want more reviews. Not getting a lot of reviews makes me sad.

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	6. Moving

**Chapter 6**

"Hold up. This is a restricted area until further notice." a police officer stopped Levy from going any closer to her apartment complex.

"What's going on, officer? I live in that building. Did something happen?" Levy asked with wide eyes. She knew, of course, what had happened. But Gajeel stressed to her the importance of playing the part of the innocent doctor who's home got hit while she was out to lunch on her day off. The last thing she wanted and needed right now was to be taken in for questioning. If she did well, they would just take a statement and see to it that she has some place to stay.

"There's been a fire. The whole building has been evacuated." the officer informed her, which she gasped at.

"Is everyone okay? How bad was it?" she asked him sincerely. The picture she'd been shown didn't show if there was any damage to any other apartments.

"Not to worry, there weren't any injuries. What floor do you live on, miss?"

"I live on the ground floor. Unit 12."She informed him. His eyes widened slightly and he scratched his head.

"Er, well, I've got some bad news for you, then. Please, come with me. We need to get a statement from you. Your unit was where it all started."

An hour later Levy was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. The police got her statement and then told her how bad the damage was. They hinted at possible gang involvement but assured her that they were likely just trying to scare people. She was asked if there was anyone she could stay with while the damage was being repaired, and then she was released to go make arrangements. Not ten minutes after she called him, did Gajeel appear, driving up to her on a motorcycle.

"C'mon, shrimp. Let's go get you some clothes and stuff. You're gonna stay with me for a while."

* * *

"You don't live in that big mansion with your father?" Levy questioned as she followed Gajeel into a very normal looking, albeit fairly large, house on the outskirts of town.

"Anyone asks, I do live there." Gajeel chuckled. "This is a safe house I've sort of taken over. Gives me some privacy and some space away from my old man." He led her through the house and up the stairs to a guest bedroom, putting down the shopping bags he carried on the bed. They were full of clothes that he'd bought for her, despite her protests. She'd insisted she could pay for her own clothes, but he put his foot down and bought them for her. "Make yourself at home, shrimp. Bathroom is through that door. Come downstairs if ya get hungry, Virgo will make ya something."

"W-where are you going?" Levy asked, because it seemed like he was leaving her alone in this house.

"Don't worry, shrimp. Just got some business to deal with. I'll be back in time to pick you up for our date tonight, gihi." he grinned as Levy blushed. She'd almost forgotten about that. "Wear that dress I bought ya. I'll be back around 8." He gave her a light pat on the head before he turned and left. She went to the window and watched him get into a black SUV that had pulled up sometime after they'd arrived. When the door opened she noticed some other men in the vehicle. It wasn't hard to spot the weapons they all carried without trying to hide. Levy decided it was best she didn't know and best she didn't think about it...

About an hour later, Levy had finished unpacking her clothes into the dresser. It had been one hell of a day. She'd met the most powerful man in Magnolia, been propositioned to date Gajeel, had to deal with the stress of lying to police, and now she was left alone in a strange house while her self proclaimed protector and potential boyfriend was off doing Mavis knows what, probably something that would terrify her if she ever found out about. She was exhausted still from her 20 hour shift the day before, and now she was about to keel over. It wasn't even 6 yet, so she decided to take a nap. She laid down on the bed, and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

* * *

"Oi... shrimp, wake up." Gentle shaking and a surprisingly soft voice brought Levy out of a deep sleep. She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she was gently pulled up into a sitting position. A yawn escaped her lips and she heard a familiar 'Gihi' chuckle. "Shrimp, yer pretty cute when you're tired." Gajeel chuckled as she blinked up at him sleepily.

"Gajeel...? Wha-" Another yawn. "What time is it?" Levy asked quietly.

"It's almost 7 in the morning, shrimp."

"Huh? I slept that long?" that woke her up for sure. She glanced out the window and saw that the sun was just starting to rise. Then she remembered... Gajeel wanted to take her on a date last night. She must have slept through it. "I'm sorry..." she deflated, feeling bad because she knew he'd made a reservation somewhere.

"Don't worry bout it. You needed the sleep." Gajeel gave a half smile as he gently pet her on the head. "Besides, I ended up being late last night, anyways. We've got plenty of time to go on that date, shrimp, so don't worry about it."

"Hey... did you really mean it? When you said you wanted to ask me out from the start?" Levy couldn't stop herself. She needed to know. Did he really take an interest in her then? And was that why he wanted to protect her?

"I don't lie, shrimp." he gave her a smirk. "That night you patched me up, I had to stop myself from asking you out. It was for yer own good, cause someone as pure as you doesn't belong in the criminal world. I just took it as a loss, cause I wanted you to keep your normal life as much as possible. Though I guess I didn't do a good job at that, seeing as where you are now."

"Why do you want to protect me so much? W-what would it have mattered to you if I was killed after you left?" Levy didn't understand. She could understand him being attracted to her and wanting to ask her out, but that didn't explain where this protectiveness came from.

"To be honest, I'm not sure." Gajeel sighed. "The moment I saw you I knew you were a good person. I just... don't see people like you in the world anymore. Maybe that's why. I want to safeguard you from the cruelty of this world; I want to keep that purity you've got intact." He admitted. Then he grinned and took her chin in his hand, making her look up at him. "And then I've got this dilemma, where I just want to corrupt you. Maybe it's just the dom in me, but I want to possess you, all of you, and open your eyes to things you never imagined. I want to protect you and corrupt you all at once, and I honestly can't explain why I feel this way. Just know... I'm not gonna hurt ya, and I'm not gonna let anyone else hurt ya. But you gotta trust me." Levy could only nod to this, a pretty blush on her cheeks at his blatant honesty. She learned quite a lot about him with that bit of information, and she wasn't so certain how she felt about some of it. She had an... odd sensation in her nether regions upon learning he was a dom. She wasn't certain if that was something he wanted her to know or not, but it brought about confusing feelings in her.

"Gihi, it's pretty fun to make ya blush, shrimp. I'll have ta do it more often." Gajeel suddenly grinned, which only made her blush harder. He let go of her chin and stood up from her bed with a smirk. "That's enough talking for now. Go get dressed. I'm takin ya out for breakfast."

* * *

Another chapter up, yay. I find it's getting a little difficult keeping them in character. Is anyone noticing any out of character moments I might have missed? Please let me know if you see any. Also, please review! I love getting feedback, positive and negative. Just be polite, k?

Thanks for reading, like always!

-Everythingnerd12


	7. New Friends

**Chapter 7**

Levy stared at Gajeel with wide eyes. He was a totally different person in public. Well, to an extent. His speech patterns and nonverbal cues were still the same. But he smiled politely to the waitress that took their orders, and he was just overall very friendly. It was really odd for her to see. And then, the icing on the cake, the staff at this restaurant all knew him... but they all called him Gregory, for some reason.

"It's an alias." Gajeel's hushed voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She blinked at him in confusion before understanding what he meant. "I come here too often. Can't have them knowing my real name, now, can I?" he smirked at her.

"That makes sense, I guess." Levy quirked her head. "Do you always go by Gregory?"

"Un. Gregory Robertson." He told her. "Remember that; it'll probably come in handy." Levy just nodded and they stopped talking as their food arrived. They ate in comfortable silence until about halfway through the meal. "Oi, pops wants me to run an errand for him today, so I'll be gone for a while." Gajeel told her as he took a large gulp of his coffee. "One of my guys is going to meet us here with his wife in a little bit. They'll take you back to my place and keep ya company til I get home."

"Ah... okay." Levy fidgeted slightly. She was starting to feel like a child who needed a babysitter. If Gajeel wasn't constantly watching her, apparently someone else would be. Would she ever be able to have her normal life again?

"Hey. Don't pout, shrimp. I'm just tryin to keep you safe."

"I-I know." Levy sighed, looking down at her lap. "Gajeel... am I going to be able to go back to work?" She was honestly afraid he'd tell her it was too dangerous. What would she do then?

"If I got any say about it, you will." Gajeel assured her. "I told you, shrimp, I'm trying to make your life as normal as possible. You might have a few extra pairs of eyes watching you while you're at work, but you'll get to go back." Levy let out a sigh of relief at hearing that, and she gave Gajeel a genuine smile.

"Thank you. That really... means a lot to me."

* * *

"Hey there, metal head!" a man's voice came as Levy and Gajeel were walking out of the restaurant. They turned to see a man with flamboyant pink hair and a white scarf heading their way with a young woman holding onto his arm. The woman was beautiful, with long blonde hair and a cheery smile. She was also quite heavily pregnant, Levy noticed.

"Oi, Salamander, I told ya not to call me that." Gajeel rolled his eyes as the couple approached them. He looked down at Levy. "This is the guy I told you about, and his wife. You two, this is Levy."

"The name's Natsu. And this is Lucy. And this..." the flamboyant man put a hand on Lucy's stomach. "Is Natsu junior!" Levy couldn't help but giggle. This man was, er, extravagant but very amusing.

"It's a girl, you moron. Man, why did I marry you, again?" The woman, Lucy, rolled her eyes as she shoved at her husband.

"I don't know, Luce, I guess I got something you like." Natsu laughed loudly at his own joke. Lucy giggled a bit before turning to Levy.

"Hello, there. It's nice to meet you. Don't mind my husband; he's a child trapped inside a man's body." Lucy smiled and Levy giggled at this. She could believe it. "Mr. Robertson, we will take Miss Levy home, if you have to get going." Levy still found his alias really strange. She just couldn't see him as Gregory Robertson...

"Good. Pops is gonna get mad if I don't show up soon." Gajeel sighed heavily. He gently shoved Levy in their direction. "Go with them, shrimp. They'll keep ya safe. I should be home by morning." He looked at Natsu now. "Call me if anything happens, got it, Salamander?"

"Right-o, boss-o." Natsu saluted with a grin. He gave Levy a smile. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with us." Levy didn't really have much of a choice. She looked to Gajeel, who gave her a reassuring smile, and then she nodded to Natsu. He and Lucy led her away.

* * *

"You really don't have an OBGYN?" Levy asked Lucy with wide eyes. They had arrived at Gajeel's home a few hours ago, and Lucy had been keeping Levy company while Natsu was in the security room, monitoring the cameras that were apparently everywhere inside and outside the house.

"Um, well I've been to one for check ups and stuff... but the actual delivery is a problem." Lucy scratched her head with a small laugh. "You see, when I joined Fairy Tail I was kinda young and stupid. I got several tattoos, cause I was super pumped about being an official member. The one on my hand I can hide easily but..."

"But what?" Levy questioned.

"Er, well, I have one on my inner thigh, and it's pretty big. I was able to cover it up during checkups but... during labor, the makeup would come off. Just having the fairy tail tattoo is incriminating. Hospital protocol would be to call the cops and arrest me on the spot. They would take away our baby and lock both Natsu and I up." Lucy sighed heavily. "So we're kinda stuck with having a home birth, and getting the family's doctor to be there to make sure things go smoothly. But she's not trained for this kind of stuff."

"Well... I could do it." Levy offered, surprising the woman. "I know I'm young but I'm an OBGYN. I could deliver your baby for you, in a hospital setting. And, given the circumstances, it's not like I would be calling any authorities... cause I'd end up in jail, also. Or, ya know, I might be silenced before that happens." Levy laughed nervously at that. She'd harbored a criminal and lied to police. Sure, her crimes were light, but she was certain she would have to be more afraid of the mafia than she would of the police.

"Gajeel wouldn't let you be silenced. He's totally into you. I've never seen him this interested in someone before, you know." Lucy smiled at her. "Anyways, that would be wonderful, if you'd be willing to do that for us. I would feel much safer in a hospital than at home with nobody who can help if something goes wrong."

"Of course. It's my job, after all." Levy smiled back. "So when is your due date? You look pretty far along."

"If all goes well, I've only got three weeks left." Lucy smiled as she rubbed her belly lovingly. Levy smiled and made a mental note of that. She would talk to Lucy more about it later. "Ne, I'm sure you've got a lot of questions Gajeel hasn't answered for you yet. I know how intimidating being new to this world can be. Feel free to ask me anything you want." Lucy suddenly offered, surprising Levy.

"Really? You won't just tell me that it's better I don't know?"

"Well, some stuff you'll probably never have to experience, in which case it's better you didn't know it was going on." Lucy smiled apologetically. "Honestly, telling you that it's better not to know is the truth for a lot of cases. For instance, if you for any reason are questioned by the police. It's not like you can accidentally reveal incriminating evidence on stuff you don't know about."

"Ah... I see." Levy understood now why Gajeel kept telling her that, especially whenever he left for 'work.' It was honestly better for everyone involved if she didn't know where he was or what he was doing. "Er, well, then what about this? Will you tell me what it's like, being in a gang?"

"Well, the word gang makes us sound like a bunch of mindless criminals doing whatever we want whenever we want to." Lucy smiled. "Fairy Tail is a family. We are more organized, and have more rules to protect the family and everyone in it. Honestly, we are doing a better job at protecting this city than the police are. Without us, Phantom Lord would be in control. And trust me, they may call themselves a family like we do, but they are definitely just a gang that does whatever they want." She explained to Levy, who took it all in with curious eyes.

"I see. That makes sense. I've heard what living under Phantom Lord's rule was like, before I even came to this city. It sounds awful."

"It is. I was just a teen back then, and it was terrifying. You couldn't leave your home without being afraid of getting caught in crossfire between the gang and the police. You avoided banks unless absolutely necessary. Jewelry stores had to hire mercenaries just to keep their inventory safe. Many people stopped watching the news, because there would just be more reports of civilians being killed, or beaten, or raped." Lucy shuddered at that. "I first got in with Fairy Tail when they were just growing. Don Redfox doesn't look it, but back then he was this suave charismatic guy who could smooth talk a serial killer into giving up his ways and opening a flower shop. True story." Lucy snickered a bit at this, and Levy giggled as well, mostly because it was so hard to picture Don Metalicana that way.

"Anyways, the Don started recruiting men. Even got some guys from Phantom Lord to get on with his cause. He promised wealth and prosperity with less war with the cops and little to no civilian casualties. To the men in Phantom Lord that didn't like the idea of civilians getting hurt, that was a pretty easy choice." Lucy went on. "Eventually, Fairy Tail had enough men to go to war with Phantom Lord, and push them out of the city for good. It took a while, almost a full year, but we did it. Within months the violence in the city was down to next to nothing. Don Redfox had men and women infiltrate every large business in the city, to keep an eye on things and to be first responders in case Phantom Lord decided to attack again. This was a good strategy, too, because we've stopped them from doing lots of damage over the years... and even the police don't know that."

"Really? That's impressive." Levy said with wide eyes. She never would have known that Fairy Tail was doing so much more to protect the city than the police were. "If that's the case, then why are the police going after Fairy Tail so hard?"

"It's simple, really." Lucy snickered. "We've lowered the crime rate so much... they don't have anything else to do." She laughed. "Well, that and we are still heavily involved in crime, ourselves. We're loan sharks, we collect on protection money, we deal in the black market... plus, there are a few new gangs popping up that we have to take care of. Traitors to silence, corporations to blackmail, the list goes on." She paused and smirked at Levy's shocked face. "I never said we weren't criminals, dear. Just that we weren't mindless thugs who like to bring civilians into the mix."

"Fair point." Levy laughed nervously.

"Don't worry, Levy. You're family now. We take care of our own." Lucy gave her a wink.

"I'm... family?" Levy asked with wide eyes.

"Sure are. Gajeel's made a claim on you, a pretty big one, too. So long as he's got that claim on you, you're part of the family." Lucy explained to her.

"I, er... I really don't understand. What claim are you talking about?" Levy asked with confusion. Lucy just giggled.

"Silly, he asked you out. Until you reject him, you're his girl. That's his claim on you. It means he's going to protect you as is expected of him to protect his girl. It's pretty rare for anyone in the family to do that, so Gajeel putting that claim on you is a really big deal." Lucy told her with a smile. Levy blushed at this. So, him asking her out really was that important that the Don even questioned it?

"Why is it so rare? Does nobody date, or something?"

"No, it's not that. It's just... we mostly date within the family. And for those that date civilians, they just don't let them know anything about the family. It's pretty rare for civilians like you to be in the know, and it's only cases like yours where those claims are placed." Lucy explained. Levy still didn't understand. "Okay think of it like this. A fairy tail member is dating a civilian. The civilian doesn't even know her date is a fairy tail member, and he makes sure it stays that way, for her own protection. She still has protection of the family, indirectly... but only once she is married to the member. Aside from that, it's her boyfriend's job to keep her safe without letting her know anything about the family.

"Now, a scenario like yours. A member is dating a civilian who knows nothing. The civilian learns too much and is in danger that way. The member either has to stop all contact with the civilian to keep them safe, or he has to place a claim of protection on her. If she rejects his claim, he drops all contact with her. If she accepts, she's part of the family for life. She can stop dating the member, but she will still have constant ties to the family, and potentially have responsibilities, as well. But, with these ties and responsibilities, she still has the protection of the family... so long as she doesn't turn traitor and needs to be silenced." Lucy shrugged at the last part.

"S-so you're saying... if I accept Gajeel's claim, I will always be considered part of the family?" Levy asked with wide eyes. Lucy nodded. "What if I reject his claim?"

"Well, he still owes you that life debt. But once that's repaid, you'll never have contact with him or anyone from the family again." Lucy explained. "But... Phantom Lord will still go after you. They won't care if you don't have any contact with us anymore. All they know is you helped one of us, and kept one of their members from doing their job. They want your life, and they won't stop until they get it." Levy stared down at her lap now. This was a very touch decision to make. Either become part of a gang or risk being killed by another gang. And, to top it off, if she chose the first option she would have to date Gajeel. Did she even want that? He was very handsome, and he treated her kindly. She'd never once been afraid of him, and he made her feel things she'd never felt before. She felt safe around him and nervous when he wasn't nearby... and she'd only known him for about five days. This was a lot she needed to think on.

"If it helps you make a decision, Levy..." Natsu's voice came as he walked into the room. "Since you're a civi, you're not going to be expected to break the law or anything, and you're not going to be exposed to the really bad side of this life. The boss might want you to keep an eye on people and report some stuff, but you'll get to have your normal life and live mostly in peace. You'll just have added protection from the family, is all." He told her as he went to sit by his wife.

"Natsu, you're supposed to be monitoring the grounds." Lucy looked at her husband.

"Virgo's giving me a ten minute break. Besides, I missed my wife. Gonna chew me out for that?" he grinned lopsidedly at her. "Seriously, do it, cause you're hot when you're nagging me." He winked. Lucy just smiled and gave a little laugh.

"Dammit, this is why I love you, ya big oaf."

* * *

I'm on a roll. Just pushing out chapter after chapter. All for you, my lovely readers!

Tell me what you think! I'm so glad I'm getting lots of good reviews!

As always, thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	8. The Date

**Chapter 8**

Gajeel made it back home around 1 in the morning. He was glad he knew Levy would be asleep by now. Didn't want her to see the blood on his suit. Not his blood, of course, but that would have just made it worse for the shrimp to have seen.

Natsu greeted him in the foyer, having seen Gajeel getting dropped off through the monitors. The pyromaniac was tired, Gajeel could tell, but he'd done his job and had protected Levy dutifully. Had to give him perks for that. Natsu reported that nothing eventful happened. Levy and Lucy bonded over books and babies or something. Gajeel was glad he'd suggested Salamander bring his wife. Levy needed a friend in this world. He could tell she was getting stressed out from having to go through all this with only him to talk to. Having some girl time was probably the best thing for her. Apparently, it was good for Lucy, too, who'd been in a slump lately and had been worrying about the delivery of her baby. The shrimp apparently offered to do the delivery for her.

"They're upstairs, sleeping." Natsu nodded towards the stairs. "I'll grab Luce and we'll be outta your hair, boss." Now Gajeel knew the kid was tired; he never called him boss unless he was too beat up or too exhausted to crack jokes.

"Don't worry about it. Go sleep with your wife, you can leave in the morning." Gajeel sighed. He wasn't heartless. The boy was tired, and his pregnant wife was asleep. Making them leave would be rather cruel, in his opinion.

"Thanks, boss." Natsu all but yawned. He didn't need to be told twice to go catch a wink. He hurried upstairs to his sleeping wife and was dead to the world before his head hit the pillow. Gajeel shook his head and made his way to the laundry room. He stripped off his bloodied suit and pulled on some jeans that were in the closet. He insisted on keeping a few clothes in the laundry room for times like this, when his clothes were too, er, dirty to take throughout the house. He tossed his suit into a nearby hamper. Virgo would make sure it was cleaned and pressed properly.

Walking topless up the stairs, Gajeel wondered about the shrimp. He knew she would ask Lucy questions that she wasn't ready for yet. But he also knew Lucy wasn't stupid enough to tell her that stuff. Still, he wondered what they talked about while he was gone. Lucy likely told her about the family's history, and he knew the shrimp would certainly ask about his claim on her. He honestly hoped Lucy was able to make the shrimp understand his intentions, because he could see that Levy didn't fully understand... and he wasn't very good at explaining things.

He ended up in front of Levy's door without thinking about it. Opening it quietly, he peeked inside. He grinned at the sigh before him. The shrimp was laying spread out on the bed, one hand above her head and the other hanging off the bed. Both her legs were dangling off the foot of the bed. She wore a tight tank top and pink boy short undies. Her top had shifted up, giving him a nice view of her toned stomach and a peek at some under boob. But what made him grin the most was the little naval piercing that glinted in the moonlight. The shrimp has a piercing... damn, that was hot. He silently moved closer to inspect it. It was just a simple barbell piercing with a little orange gem dangling off of it, not even a centimeter in length. He found himself wondering why such an innocent looking shrimp had a piercing like this. Then a thought crossed his mind and he had to grin. He wondered if the shrimp would be open to more piercings. Later, of course. But the thought was still there, and the image of this tiny attractive shrimp with piercings in scandalous areas made him need to leave the room before he woke her up with his lecherous chuckles.

He silently padded out of the room and shut the door, shaking his head at himself even though he was still grinning. Damn he was a pervert sometimes.

* * *

"You look very lovely, milady." Virgo complimented Levy as she helped her zip up the dress Gajeel insisted she wear. They were finally going on that date Gajeel wanted to take her on, and she was so nervous. "Master has good taste."

"Er, thank you." Levy blushed at the praise. She shifted nervously as she stared in the floor length mirror. The dress was very nice and surely very expensive, not that she would know considering Gajeel bought it without her even trying it on. Somehow he picked the perfect size, too. It was a very pretty dark blue dress with a rather deep V neck that, she had to say, made her bust look larger. The skirt was ruffled and went just a little past her knees. She'd paired the dress with the black flats he'd bought her, though she wondered why he didn't get her heels. Then a thought crossed her mind. Did he... did he like that she was short? Like, way shorter than him? She blushed at the possibility. She had to admit, she found it quite attractive that he was as tall as he was. Even though he made her feel little, he also made her feel safe. Besides, he was an attractive man, anyways... height didn't make that much of a difference, especially when he had a chest that looked like it had been chiseled out of stone. Oh, her thoughts were taking her to scandalous places, and her face was really heating up now.

"I believe you would look wonderful with a necklace." Virgo smiled, either not noticing or not caring about her blushing. The maid pulled out a necklace seemingly out of nowhere, and put it on Levy before she could comment. Levy looked at the necklace in the mirror. It was simple, just a silver chain, but the pendant was an intricately carved black metallic dragon with a ruby for an eye. Each scale had been hand carved and the pendant had been expertly polished to a beautiful shine. It was not something she would have chosen to wear, herself, but it was beautiful and, oddly enough, went very well with her dress. "Master bought this for you to wear. The black dragon is his personal symbol, so wearing this tells everyone that you're his."

"Eh? B-but I haven't even d-decided yet..." Levy blushed furiously.

"It doesn't matter. Until you reject his claim, you're technically his girl." Virgo giggled at her as if she was a silly child. "Please, wear this until then. It will confirm that you have the family's protection, in case you come across a member that doesn't know you." Levy still blushed but she nodded and accepted the necklace. Virgo smiled and adjusted a strand of hair that had fallen out of Levy's bun. She put a few more pins in and then stood back with a smile. "All done, miss. You look just lovely. I'm sure master will be happy."

"Ah, um... thank you for your help." Levy blushed. She wasn't used to having help getting ready for a date. She wasn't used to dating, in general. Oh, she was so nervous. What if she was her usually clumsy self? What if she made a fool of herself?

"Come, let's head downstairs. I'm sure master is waiting for you." Virgo led the way. Levy couldn't tell if she didn't realize how flustered she was... or if she simply didn't care. Virgo was hard to read, considering she was constantly smiling that same, kinda creepy, smile. Levy found Gajeel waiting for her near the front door. She'd seen him in a suit before. In fact, she'd only seen him in a suit. But this was different than the typical black and white suit he wore for 'work.' This time he was wearing black slacks and a black blazer, but he wore a dark blue shirt under the blazer that matched her dress perfectly. Levy blushed at this. He was matching her. Not only that, but he looked stunning. Who knew that changing from a black and white suit to a blazer and a colored shirt could do so much to an appearance? She found herself blushing even more as she realized that he wasn't just attractive; he was downright hot. She blushed deeper as he looked her over with a pleased grin... not once, but twice.

"I knew you'd look gorgeous." he winked at her, and Levy didn't think her face could get any redder. He held an arm out to her with a grin. "C'mon, shri- er... Levy." He caught himself. "I got us a reservation at a place I know you'll like."

Twenty minutes later found the couple walking into a restaurant Levy had heard of but had never dreamt she'd get to eat at. It was one of the most exclusive restaurants in town, reserved only for the richest of the rich. The hostess took one look at Gajeel and instantly escorted them to a private table in the back without a word. Any conversations going on in the restaurant paused as they walked past. Gajeel was obvious well known here. Levy could only look around with awe as she followed Gajeel's lead, holding onto his arm as he escorted her. He glanced at her and grinned; he knew she'd be impressed.

Not ten seconds after they were seated did a server come over and smile politely at them. "Welcome back, Mr. Robertson. It's an honor to serve you tonight." The man gave a bow. He then handed the couple menus. "May I take your drink order?"

"Water, for now, wine with the meal." Gajeel told him as he was already looking at the meal. "Levy, get whatever you want."

"Um, er... do, do you have hot teas here?" Levy asked the server.

"We have anything you can think of, my lady." The server smiled.

"Ano... may I have some green tea with honey, please?"

"Certainly. I will return momentarily with your drinks." The server hurried off. Gajeel looked at Levy with a smirk now.

"Tea, shrimp? They have a full list of wines and other drinks." he told her.

"I... don't really drink that often. I don't hold it well. T-that time with the whiskey, it was just a really bad day... and I fell asleep right after." Levy blushed. Surely he didn't think she was an alcoholic?

"Lightweight, huh?" Gajeel smirked. "That's kinda cute." he admitted, which made Levy blush again. She tried to change topics now, and she looked at the menu.

"U-um, where are the prices?" her question earned a chuckle from her date.

"You don't come to a place like this if you're worried about the cost. Pick whatever you want, shrimp." he told her with a grin. She looked back at the menu with a nervous shift. Being in such an expensive place like this, it was a bit nerve wracking. To top it off, most of the menu was in french! "Need help?" Gajeel saw her struggling and took pity on her. She nodded eagerly, earning a grin. "Alright, what do you like to eat? Favorite meal?"

"U-um, I really like a lot of things." Levy sighed. "I don't have any favorites, really."

"Hm... anything you in the mood for? Chicken, steak, pasta, seafood?"

"Um, a steak I suppose." Levy blushed. Gajeel just grinned.

"Red meat girl. I like it." he chuckled. Then he looked at the menu. "They've got a lot of steak options. You mind if I just pick one for ya?" he grinned. Levy blushed a little.

"S-sure." As if sensing a decision had been made, the server returned with their drinks and asked for their order. Gajeel got a hefty T-bone, and then ordered Levy a filet mignon, much to her surprise. They chatted for a bit as they waited on the food. Usual date conversation about hobbies and places they wanted to visit. When the food arrived, Levy nearly cried, her food was so delicious. She'd never had a steak so tender and juicy. It melted in her mouth!

"Here, try this." Gajeel grinned, holding out his fork with a nice cut of his T-bone on it. Levy blushed and let him feed her the bite. Mavis, it was fantastic. Different seasonings than her filet, but still so tender and delicious. Gajeel offered her a sip of his wine after the bite, saying that it paired perfectly with it. And it did. And it was enough to convince her to get a glass of wine, herself. Despite the wonderful food keeping them occupied, they never stopped talking about this and that. Levy learned that he loved to sing, and would sometimes go to preform at dive bars where nobody would know him. He invited her to come with him sometime and she accepted happily.

By the time they left the restaurant, Levy had practically forgotten he was even in the mafia. All she saw when she looked at Gajeel was just... Gajeel. It was a wonderful change, and it made her feel so much more comfortable around him. Gajeel escorted her out of the restaurant, keeping a close eye on her. She wasn't kidding about being a lightweight. She wasn't drunk, but just one glass of wine had made her a bit tipsy. Despite this, he was grinning. It had been the best date he'd ever been on, by far. And he knew it was the same for her.

"This was really fun." Levy smiled up at him as they walked back to his car. "I was so worried I'd end up making a fool of myself. But I had a lot of fun."

"Glad you enjoyed it." Gajeel chuckled lightly as he looked at her. She was humming some song he didn't know and she was leaning on him quite a bit, but she had a dazzling smile plastered on her face. She was really beautiful, and this date had only served to prove what he knew already. He really liked her. Liked her sweet personality, liked the way she blushed when he said something sweet to her... and, boy, did he love seeing her lose her temper. They rounded a corner and Levy found herself gently pinned to the wall of a building. She looked up at Gajeel eyes full of confusion but the fear she'd used to have for him was gone. He smiled down at her and cupped her face with one hand. "Shrimp... Levy. Be mine. I'm asking this for myself. Not because of any obligations I have to you. I'm asking you this because I really like you and I want you to be mine. So, please. Be my girl, Levy." his tone was softer than she'd ever heard it before, and his sweet words made her blush and her heart race. He really liked her, and really wanted to date her? Truly?

"I..." she paused, feeling nervous. If she said yes, she'd be forever tied to the mafia. But... she really liked Gajeel. He made her heart race, made her feel safe, made her smile, made her feel beautiful like no man has ever done before. If she said no, she'd be walking away from a potentially wonderful relationship... and she might regret it forever. "Gajeel, I... I'll be your girl." She breathed, making her decision. His genuine smile was worth it. And the kiss that followed, even more so.

It was a light kiss, very gentle, but there was a promise behind it. Meaning. It was as if he was sealing the deal before she could change her mind. She was his girl now, and he would protect her and treat her as such. She was his. His.

* * *

Eeee! I made them kiss! XD

A really long chapter for you lovely readers, and they finally got their date, yay!

Please let me know what you think. There's gonna be some action soon, and of course Lucy will have her baby soon. Please give me name suggestions, cause I'm really drawing a blank with the baby name.

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	9. Danger

**Chapter 9**

"Look, shrimp, as far as I know, they only knew where you lived." Gajeel informed Levy as he drove her to the hospital for her first day back after her week-long break. Her apartment was still being renovated because of the fire, and it seemed she would be living with Gajeel for quite a while. "But I've also made sure to have some people keeping an eye out for you at work. If they see anything suspicious they'll call me, and you've got that phone in case you feel unsafe."

"Hospital security is pretty strong. I'm not too worried." Levy gave a small smile to her... boyfriend. It was so weird to think of him like that. They were dating now, and she just really didn't know how to act. She hadn't dated anyone since high school, for crying out loud. She supposed she should just act like she always had around him, but that was easier said than done, sometimes.

"Well, just in case. Call me if you're worried for any reason whatsoever." Gajeel looked at her pointedly. She just nodded as he pulled up to the maternity ward. She went to get out, but he kept the door locked. "Oi." He got her attention. "No more of these 16 hour shifts, and I want you to take a day off every three days." he insisted firmly.

"But, Gajeel... we're understaffed..."

"That's no reason to overwork yourself." He rolled his eyes. "I will pick you up at six; you'd better be clocked out by then. I'll come in there and carry your ass out if I have to." He warned with a grin now. Levy huffed lightly.

"Fine. I will work on the schedule today. I'm sure Wendy won't mind getting a few more hours." Levy sighed. Gajeel just grinned and unlocked the door to let her out, but not before placing a light kiss on her lips.

"Have a good day, shorty." He chuckled at her blush. "Remember. Six." And then he drove off. Levy watched him leave, trying to calm the blush on her cheeks. Then she turned and headed into work. She had two deliveries today... she doubted she'd be out by six, but there was no way Gajeel was going to pull her away from a birthing mother. She'd just like to see him try. He'd end up on his ass. Levy could be... protective, of her patients.

* * *

"You're doing wonderful. Just breathe." Levy said reassuringly to the pained woman that was giving birth. She was actually quite glad she wasn't doing the delivery this time. It was Wendy's patient, and the first set of triplets she'd ever delivered. Rightfully so, Wendy was nervous, and had asked Levy to be there to supervise and take charge if anything went wrong. Since Wendy was only a year out of med school, Levy agreed. It was her job as lead physician to make sure everything went smoothly.

Luckily, this birth was going quite well. One baby had already been born, and they were working on the other two. Still, there was always a chance of complications. Especially in multiple pregnancies. Wendy was right to be anxious, but so far she was perfectly calm and handling things very well. Another cry filled the air, and they gave the mother a chance to breathe for a second as Wendy tended to the second baby.

"Another beautiful baby boy." Wendy told the panting mother and nervous father as she handed the baby off to be cleaned. "One more left, ma'am. Take a deep breath and push for me, okay?"

Twenty minutes later and Wendy and Levy were cleaning up. The exhausted mother held two baby boys in her arms, and the father held a beautiful baby girl. Wendy went about tending to the babies, giving them each a quick checkup, before seeing to the mother. Levy smiled, proud of how far Wendy had come.

"Dr. McGarden, someone's asking for you." A nurse stuck her head in the room, surprising Levy. She glanced at the clock. It was only four thirty. Gajeel wouldn't be there until six, and she didn't have anymore appointments for the day. She wasn't expecting any visitors, either.

"Did you get a name?" Levy questioned, and the nurse shook her head.

"It's a pretty big guy. He just said he knew you and needed to see you right away." Maybe it was Gajeel? He'd come to pick her up super early, then. Levy shrugged and made sure Wendy was okay before she left to see her visitor.

* * *

 _"Breaking news. There's an ongoing hostage situation at Magnolia Memorial Hospital. Not even half an hour ago, and armed man managed to slip past security and get into the Maternity ward, where he then took lead physician, Levy McGarden, hostage and ordered the remaining occupants of the wing to evacuate. Officials are trying to get through to the assailant and..."_

Gajeel spit out his coffee at hearing this. He stood up quickly from the booth he was in, threw down a twenty on the table, and then ran out of the restaurant. He pulled out his cell as he hurried to his car, calling the man he knew was supposed to be watching his girl while she was at work.

"Boss! I'm so sorry! The cops are everywhere and they were keeping a close eye on everyone." the man apologized extensively. "I just barely got away to take this call."

"I'm on my way. What's the situation?" Gajeel demanded as he finally reached his car. He got in and drove like a maniac towards the hospital.

"Far as I can tell, your girl was told she had a visitor. Some big guy. Soon as she saw him he grabbed her and pulled out a gun. Ordered everyone out of the wing or he would kill her. Doctors, nurses, patients, even the newborn babies, he wanted them all out. The cops showed up not two minutes later and surrounded the place." the man explained. "It sounds like a guy from Phantom. He's probably trying to lure you, boss."

"Sounds like it." Gajeel growled. "Oi, since you're clearly away from the cops now, call my old man. I'm on my way." He hung up on the guy and focused on driving. He made it to the hospital in record time and grabbed his gun, making sure it was loaded. _Hang on, shrimp. I'm on my way._

Meanwhile, inside the hospital, Levy was glaring at the man who was holding her hostage. This man was certainly not Gajeel. Levy should have called Gajeel the instant she questioned the appearance of a visitor. The best case scenario was that it was Gajeel, and he would tell her that. If not, he would have been on his way. Now she had no idea if he even knew what was going on. Even she wasn't so certain.

It was all rather blurry, because it happened so fast. Someone was waiting for her in her office. The instant she walked into the office, she was pulled into an iron grip and a gun was pressed against her temple. The man shouted out orders to everyone nearby. Get everyone in this wing out. Now. Or he would kill her and then go after the babies. There was a panic as everyone rushed to clear the wing. Mothers in labor and newborn babies were wheeled out of the wing and taken to the opposite end of the building. Everyone else hurried outside. Levy was left alone with this strange man.

He was certainly a big man, like the nurse said, but not big as in muscular. Big as in tall. Really tall. He was skinny, as well, but for a skinny man he was very strong. He had black hair with a red tint that fell down to his shoulders, green eyes that had a sick gleam in them, and a creepy thin mustache on his face. To top it all off, he was wearing black lipstick, of all things. He wore a black and white suit, but he also had on a dark purple tie and a purple fedora. He gave off a very creepy vibe, and Levy was positively terrified.

"Now, now, Levy-sama." he practically purred and it made her want to gag. "No need to be afraid. So long as your little pet dragon comes calling, you'll be perfectly fine. I could really care less about you. It's your protector I'm after."

"G-Gajeel?" Levy's eyes widened. This man was after Gajeel, and he was using her as bait. This was all her fault. She should have called Gajeel from the start; then none of this would have happened. "Why... why do you want Gajeel?"

"Why else? He's the bane of my existence. Constantly going after my men and keeping my family out of a city that was originally ours." The man scoffed. "I want his head." Then Levy noticed something, a strange symbol tattooed on his neck. This man... oh, no. This man was from Phantom Lord.

"You... your gang set my apartment on fire..." Levy realized. The man just grinned at her.

"Ah, yes. So we did." the man chuckled. "You see, you kept one of my men from doing their job and he got quite angry with you. He was supposed to just kidnap you and scare you a little, but he got pretty pissed when you weren't in your apartment." he shrugged like it was no big deal. Then we found out about you dating the infamous Black Steel Gajeel, and I decided it would be better to use you to our advantage." he gave her that creepy grin again as he waved his gun around. "Hence why you're now in this situation."

"Boss, the dragon is in the building." a voice came from a walkie talkie at the man's hip.

"Good, good." The man laughed merrily at this. He turned to Levy with a sadistic grin. "Get on your knees and put your hands behind your head." He motioned to a spot in the middle of the hallway. Levy glared at him and he aimed his gun at her. "Now." She had no choice. She moved to the middle of the hallway and got on her knees, putting her hands behind her head. Not even five seconds later, Gajeel came running into the hall, his own gun drawn.

"Jose. Figured it was you." Gajeel growled as he glared at the man. He looked Levy over, checking for any injuries, and was relieved to find that she was okay. But she wasn't out of danger just yet. Jose was a dangerous man. He could change his mood and his mind in a split second. He knew he would have told Levy that he wouldn't hurt her, so long as Gajeel showed up. But that was a flat out lie. If he managed to somehow take out Gajeel, Levy would be next.

"Ah, how lovely to see you again, Gajeel-san." Jose sang sweetly. It made Gajeel want to gag. "I'm so glad you took my invitation."

"Cut the crap. Let Levy go." Gajeel glared. Jose only chuckled and cocked the gun aimed at Levy's head. Levy flinched at the sound and looked up at Gajeel with terrified eyes.

"You know too well, that's not how this works, Gajeel-san." Jose grinned, his voice no longer sweet. "Now, if you would kindly drop your gun, maybe I will let this little doll go. Maybe."

"You and I both know that's a lie. She has nothing to do with this. Just let her go and face me like a man."

"Tsk. Tsk." Jose chuckled darkly. "You either do as I say or this young lady will certainly never leave this hospital alive. Now... put down your gun." He said firmly, his voice dark and terrifying. Gajeel glared at him for a long moment before slowly placing his gun on the ground. He stood back up and held his hands behind his head the same way Levy was doing. "Now, kick it down the hall and get on your knees." Jose demanded. Gajeel growled, but complied, sending his gun several feet down the adjacent hall before lowering to his knees. He locked eyes with Levy's terrified ones. She saw how calm he was as he stared into her eyes. He glanced up at Jose and then back to her, and his eyes hardened. He was trying to tell her something, but she didn't know what. His eyes flickered to Jose again, and Levy suddenly realized what he wanted her to do.

Jose, meanwhile, was cackling like a maniac. "Yes, wonderful! I am the only man alive who has gotten Black Steel Gajeel to drop his gun! Me!" Jose laughed. His concentration was no longer on Levy, but on Gajeel. Levy waited for an opening, her eyes filling with determination. There! Jose's grip on his gun loosened from all his laughter. Levy attacked, spinning around quickly and grabbing the gun before he knew what was happening. She aimed it at Jose, but she froze when she saw he was just grinning at her. "Oho? This one has some fire in her." He chuckled, glancing at Gajeel to make sure he didn't move while he dealt with the misbehaving hostage. "What are you going to do, little girl? Shoot me? You don't have it in you." he started laughing again. Levy just shook. He was right. This was her first time even holding a gun, let alone threatening someone with it. And she was a doctor. She saved lives, brought lives into the world. She didn't take them! She couldn't! So she sat there, shaking in fear, keeping the gun aimed at Jose while knowing she would never shoot it. Jose just grinned and reached for the gun, knowing she was harmless like this.

"Go on, little girl. Do it. Now's your only chance." Jose's chuckle was dark and dangerous. Levy knew that if he got his gun back, she'd never see the light of day again. She willed herself to pull the trigger. "You won't do it. You can't do it." Jose laughed cruelly.

His hand closed around the gun and Levy shut her eyes in fear. A shot rang out, echoing in the empty halls. Levy's eyes snapped open, widening in shock as she looked up at Jose, who was falling back to the ground, blood spraying out of the bullet wound in his forehead. Levy found herself covered in blood as she watched on in horror. Had she... had she done this?

"You don't ever have to do something like that, Levy." Gajeel's voice came from behind her. "That's why I'm here." Levy turned around to find Gajeel on his feet, his gun back in his hand. He'd gone after his gun when Jose was distracted, and he'd managed to kill him at the last second. A moment longer, Jose would have turned the gun on Levy and killed her without a second thought.

Levy stared at him a second longer before she dropped the gun and ran to him, finally letting her tears fall. He pulled her into his arms and held the frightened woman close as she cried into his chest. He should have never left her alone, not until the threat from Phantom Lord was past. If only he'd sent her to work with a body guard, or even if he'd just gone to work with her. None of this would have happened. He wouldn't have had to kill someone in front of her. He could have prevented the nightmares he was sure she would have for weeks to come.

He failed as her protector by even letting her be in this situation.

And she was clinging to him for dear life and thanking him over and over for saving her. He didn't deserve her. He was just glad she was alright. He vowed to never let something like this happen again. Levy was not leaving his side again.

* * *

Wow, this was a really long chapter. Yay, action and yay happy ending to the chapter. I honestly almost made it a cliffhanger haha. But that would have been mean.

Anyways, tell me what you think, my lovelies.

Thanks for Reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	10. Recovery

**Chapter 10**

Gajeel peeked outside the hospital, observing the scene outside. Cops and swat teams were everywhere, at ever entrance to the hospital, at the doors leading into the maternity wing. Getting out of here without getting caught was going to be no easy task. What's more, he had to leave Levy with the cops. She needed a story about her rescuer, something somewhat believable as to why she was even a hostage in the first place and how she managed to be rescued. This wasn't going to be easy.

To top it off, Levy was still in shock. He needed to get her to work with him, or they'd both end up in jail. He'd taken her away from where Jose's body was, and he'd spent the past several minutes just trying to calm her down and think clearly. Right now, even as he was standing at the window, she was in his arms. She refused to be more than an inch away from him. Normally he'd see that as a good thing, but what would she do when he had to leave her with the cops?

"G-Gajeel, my phone is ringing." Levy held out the disposable phone he'd given her that night they'd met. Gajeel took it from her, knowing there was only one other person who knew that number, and answered it.

"Pops."

"You're in a pickle, boy. Tell me the situation." Metalicana's voice came. Gajeel recounted the day's events to his father, and then everything was silent. The Don was thinking. Finally, he spoke. "Alright, I'll pull some strings. Meanwhile, here's what you gotta do..."

* * *

The instant Levy stepped out of the hospital with her hands raised, she was taken into police custody. She watched as over a dozen armed men hurried into the hospital to sweep the place. Meanwhile, she was dragged to a large van that was acting as a mobile command unit. She heard reporters all around declaring that the hostage was safe and swat teams were moving in, going after the man responsible for it all. She could only go where she was being led, and she tried to hold off the panic attack she knew was coming. She was scared for a new reason. What if they discovered her ties to the mafia? What would happen to her? To Gajeel? She forced herself to take a deep, shaky breath. Gajeel needed her to focus. She could panic later.

"Levy!" A familiar voice filled her ears as she was hurried into the van. Levy turned her eyes into the van and was astounded to find Lucy there, her husband standing beside her. The next thing Levy knew, the pregnant blonde was hugging the life out of her. "I was so worried!" Lucy practically cried against the smaller girl.

"M-miss Dragneel, please let her have some air. I'm sure she's been through a lot today." The FBI agent in the van requested. He was odd looking, for an FBI agent. Skinny, but with wild orange hair, he looked rather... effeminate for a field agent. Lucy released her and let Levy sit down in a nearby chair. The agent closed the van's doors, leaving Levy alone with just him, Lucy, and Natsu. "Miss McGarden, I'm glad you're alright. I've been informed of your situation," he paused to roll up one of his pant legs. Levy was surprised to see a Fairy Tail tattoo there, but that put her at ease, especially when Lucy and Natsu seemed to be calm about it. "My name is Loke. For your sake, I'm going to be handling everything to do with this situation. Considering holding hostages in a hospital is a federal offense, I have the authority here, not the police. So you can relax."

"I... okay, thank you." Levy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now, for documentation, I need to know every detail of what happened in there. Er, what the boss told you to say, anyways." Loke told her as he took his own seat across from her. Levy took a shaky breath and recounted everything up until Gajeel arrived. Then she told him what Gajeel told her to say. A strange man in a kabuki mask had sneaked into the hospital. He started talking with the man that held her hostage, and they seemed to dislike each other. Levy saw a chance when her captor was distracted, and she took his gun from him, but she was too afraid to shoot it. But she distracted him, and the kabuki man shot him. He told her to leave the gun behind and leave the hospital or he would shoot her next, so she went outside.

"Good, good." The agent said as he wrote down what she said in his notes. He opened the van doors and called for someone. A large man with a sketchbook came in and sat down down. "This is Reedus Johnan. He's our sketch artist. I need you to describe to the best of your ability what this 'kabuki' man looked like."

"Ah, well..." Levy thought back to the picture Gajeel showed her. She was to describe one of the family's enemies but, since he had on a mask, leave out details about his face. "He wore a white kabuki mask with no mouth and it was painted red around the eyes. He wore all black and baggy clothes, but he was kind of skinny."

"Pardon, how tall, miss?" the sketch artist questioned.

"Um..." Levy stood up and held her hand up. "About here, so... around six feet?"

"Anything else? Any details at all?" Loke questioned her.

"I saw a little bit of his hair. It was blond. And his eyes were hard to see with the mask but I think they were green." She told them. The sketch artist nodded and set about drawing up someone with that description. Finally, her turned the sketch around. The man he drew was pretty accurate to the picture Gajeel showed her, minus facial details, of course. "Yes, that's him." Levy nodded.

"Very good. You're dismissed, Reedus, thank you." He shooed the sketch artist out of the van before turning back to Levy. "Alright. Now, we're going to do some more questioning, but it's all just for documentation. Don't worry, Miss McGarden. You'll get to go with Lucy and Natsu after we're done. I'm going to pull some strings even the boss can't pull, so don't worry about a thing.

* * *

"How are you holding up?" Lucy asked Levy as Natsu drove them all back to Gajeel's house. "I know that stuff can be pretty scary."

"I... um..." Levy looked down at her lap. "I'm still trying to process."

"Take your time, Levy. We're here for you. And soon you'll be back with Gajeel. Mavis knows he's not going to let you out of his sight for a long time." Lucy smiled kindly at her, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. They fell back into silence. Levy sat there, staring at her lap, trying to process everything. It had been a long five hours since she'd stepped foot out of the hospital. She'd been tossed between investigators and agents, but the agent with Fairy Tail, Loke, was never far away. He would constantly make excuses for the questions to end, such as something being out of their jurisdiction, or that she was obviously tired, or even that she needed to be checked on by a doctor. All the questions and questioners blended into one... what happened, how did you get free, where is the guy that saved you, what does he look like? It was those same questions over and over until she could answer them without even thinking about it.

She was glad Loke finally got her to be released. But now she was exhausted and she felt numb. She just wanted to sleep, but she knew she would not sleep well. No, she would be reliving the nightmare that was this day over and over in her head. She would relive her internal struggle over shooting Jose over and over. She would relive the pure terror she felt when he took the gun back. She would relive the feel of his blood spraying on her face after Gajeel shot him in the face. Sleep would be worse than being awake. At least while she was awake she could pretend it never happened.

"Levy!" Lucy's sudden shout brought Levy from her thoughts. She blinked and looked up at the blonde, who was giving her a concerned look as she stood outside of the car, the door open to let Levy out. "Are you okay? We're at Gajeel's, and you zoned out..."

"I'm... fine." Levy shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I'm sorry. I'm just exhausted." She let Lucy help her out of the car and into the house. She nearly cried when she found Gajeel waiting at the door for her, still dressed in swat team gear (Natsu had sneaked him what he needed to get out of the hospital safely). He was quick to pull her into his arms, letting her bury her face in his chest.

"Oi, you two did good. Thanks." Gajeel thanked Natsu and Lucy before shooing them away. "Go get some rest. I'll take care of her."

"Let me know how she is tomorrow?" Lucy asked with concern. Gajeel merely nodded, which satisfied her, and Natsu led his wife back to the car. Gajeel picked Levy up and she moved to bury her face in his neck as he carried her inside. He took her up the stairs and bypassed her room, heading straight for his.

"Gajeel?" Levy questioned timidly. She'd never been in his room before. He didn't answer, just carried her through his room and into the bathroom. He sat her down on the sink and grabbed a washcloth from the closet.

"They didn't even let you clean up, did they, shrimp?" he mumbled softly as he wet the cloth and started to wipe away the dried blood that was still on her face and neck. Those cops, once they found out who had been holding her hostage, had really hounded her for information that she didn't have. True enough, they didn't even give her the chance to wash the blood off of her face or change into clean clothes. Levy, in her current state, hadn't even noticed. Levy sat there silently and let Gajeel clean what he could. She kept her eyes on the floor until Gajeel hooked a finger under her chin and made her look up at him. "Levy, I know this stuff is hard on you. I wish you would have never been exposed to that, and you can be sure I'm going to do my best so you never have to see anything like that again." he told her firmly as he looked into her eyes.

"I know we haven't been dating long. But I do care about ya, Levy. Whatever you need from me right now, I'm all yours." he whispered as he caressed her cheek. "If you want to talk about it, talk. If ya need to cry, cry. If you just want me to leave you alone, I can do that, too. Just tell me what you need from me."

"I... I don't know what I need." Levy whimpered, feeling tears in her eyes. She refused to let them fall.

"Then I'll play it by ear." Gajeel gave a small smile. "Right now, I think you need a nice long bath. And then a good night's sleep. Sound good?" Levy nodded and let Gajeel help her down from the sink. He took her over to the bathtub. Had she been in her right mind she would have been envious at how huge it was, and at the water jets she could see in it. Instead, she simply watched him start the water and then pull out a large fluffy towel from the closet. "Take your time and relax, Levy. You need it." Gajeel gave her a soft kiss that all but melted her heart. That kiss helped to snap her out of her shock a little bit. She'd never seen Gajeel be so gentle or caring before. And right now he was being the sweetest man she'd ever seen. It was odd to see him this way, but Levy found it endearing. She kissed him back to let him know she would be alright. Not right away, but eventually... she would be just fine.

* * *

So a kind of depressing chapter. Levy's still in shock and it's up to Gajeel to help her through her first experience with a violent death. Gajeel is just a bit out of character, but Levy needs someone caring right now.

Don't worry, next chapter will be happier!

Anyways, tell me what you guys think!

Thanks for Reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	11. Arch-2 Good Morning

**Chapter 11**

Sunlight shining in his eyes is what woke Gajeel. He was just glad it wasn't a 2 a.m. call from his old man telling him to go disappear someone. With a lazy yawn, he stretched in bed, but found his ability to do so hampered by something keeping his arm from moving. Looking down at the offending appendage, he smirked at what he saw. The shrimp was cuddling his arm in her sleep. She held onto it firmly, using his shoulder as her pillow, as she slept deeply for the first time since the hospital incident. That was over a week ago, and the shrimp had been plagued by nightmares ever since.

They'd found out quickly that she couldn't sleep alone, or she'd end up with night terrors. Gajeel somehow convinced her to start sleeping with him and, while she still had nightmares, they weren't nearly as bad. Truth be told, Gajeel was quite happy to have her in his bed. He wasn't happy about the nightmares, of course, and he honestly wished he could have done more than just kill Jose. That bastard deserved torture.

But he was quite pleased with the view he got every morning. This morning her tank top had risen up to show off her naval piercing again, and his hand just happened to be right by it, seeing as the shrimp was holding his arm captive. He grinned and lightly tugged at the piercing. Words could not describe how hot he thought it was that the shrimp had a fucking belly button piercing. Not only that, but she seemed to enjoy having it, seeing as she had switched it out for a different one. This one was a barbell with one of the tips shaped into a dragon's head. He figured she got it to match the necklace he gave her. That thought alone made him grin.

The shrimp was really trying with this relationship, which made him happy. He knew she wasn't used to dating anyone, so she was clueless about a lot of things, but she was making an effort and seemed to really enjoy being his girl. Even after seeing him kill someone right in front of her, she just took it in stride and resumed those cute blushes and sweet kisses that she gave him.

He was glad she was finally getting over that hospital incident. Despite the nightmares, she hadn't really let the incident get to her since that first day after. The first day had been bad. She'd stayed in bed and cried and held onto him for dear life. She just needed to get it out, honestly, seeing as she hadn't let herself break down while everything was going on. He understood that, and just held her and gave her everything she needed until she finally cried herself back to sleep. She slept the rest of the day, only waking when the nightmares came. Since then, she'd been able to talk about the incident calmly, and she resumed her normal life. After three days she even went back to work, though she went with a new body guard.

Surprisingly, it had been someone she knew. Gray Fullbuster, a member of Fairy Tail... whose baby girl she helped deliver three days after she met Gajeel. When they 'met' Levy had been so happy about there being someone she knew, even if it was in a doctor to patient sense. And it didn't take long for her to start asking about how Juvia and the baby were doing. Now Gray accompanied her at work as her official body guard, though he was not allowed into patient rooms or the operating room. He stood out in the hall by the door, keeping an eye and ear out for anything suspicious. The hospital had no qualms about him being there, given light to the incident a few days ago, but the cops were slightly suspicious as to why Levy would need a guard if the threat to her had passed... unless she knew it hadn't. In which case, why hadn't she told the cops? Alas, they couldn't question her about anything not relating to the incident itself, and having a body guard was certainly not illegal... so she was left alone.

"Gajeel?" Levy's sleepy voice came, pulling him from his thoughts. He looked at the shrimp to find her rubbing her eyes, finally releasing his arm. He didn't move, however, deciding to play with her piercing just a bit longer. It took Levy a minute to realize what he was doing, and then she blushed ten shades of red. "W-what are you doing?"

"You didn't tell me you had a piercing, shrimp." Gajeel grinned lazily at her. He rolled over so that he was caging her between his body and the bed. "That's hot, Levy." He grinned wider as her blush deepened, and then he stole a kiss from her. He was pleased when she returned it, wrapping her arms around his neck. He chuckled at her soft mewl as he deepened the kiss. Fuck, she was so cute and so sexy and he just wanted to take her and never let her leave his bed. Had she been anyone else he would have done just that. But he actually cared about Levy, and they'd only been dating for two weeks... and he was certain Levy was still a virgin. He knew that no matter what he did, he needed to take it at her pace or he'd scare her away from him for good. Honestly, she wouldn't let it go faster than she was ready for, anyways. More than once he'd been smacked by an angry shrimp for simply copping a feel. And, damn, did that just make him want her more. He loved that fiery spirit she had in her.

Gajeel backed off on their little impromptu make out session as he felt the urge to do things he knew she wasn't ready for. He made the mistake of looking down at her. Her hair was messed up from sleep and her shirt had risen further up during their kissing, so now he had a peek at some under boob. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were at half mast, and her lips were pouty and slightly swollen from all the kissing. She was panting for breath and looked thoroughly ravaged, and all they'd done was kiss. And that only made Gajeel want her more. If she looked this way after making out, he wondered how she would look after making love. Damn, he needed a cold shower, and now.

"Go back to sleep, shrimp. Sorry I woke ya." Gajeel breathed as he sat up from her. He turned away from her so she wouldn't see his, er, problem, and he honestly hoped she would just go back to sleep like he suggested. It was still pretty early, after all, and it was her day off. He almost cursed his luck when Levy sat up in bed. He didn't expect it when her small hands were suddenly on his back, and he jumped slightly, but then he grinned when he realized what she was currently tracing with her finger.

"I didn't know you had a dragon tattoo. That's pretty cool." the pure awe in her voice made him chuckle. He realized she'd never seen his bare back before. Just his chest when she patched him up and when they were sleeping. He was usually up and dressed before she was ever awake, even when she had to work. On his back, stretching from his left hip to his right shoulder, was a black steel dragon, soaring through the stormy sky, its mouth opened as it prepared to roar. Each scale was intricately colored, and the detail on the dragon was amazing. "Is this why the necklace you gave me is a dragon?"

"Partially." he chuckled. "Black Dragon used to be my moniker when I was younger. I thought it was pretty bad ass, so I got the tat. Then I started getting all these piercings, so everyone started calling me Black Steel Gajeel, cause it rhymed I guess." he shrugged. "I think Black Steel suits me better, but I feel like my soul is more dragon than human." He let her admire the artwork on his back for a while longer, and then he stood. "I'm gonna take a shower, shrimp. You can, of course, join me." He gave her a pervy grin and a wink, which made her blush deeply. Or maybe she was blushing because she could now clearly see his... problem. At this point, he didn't care. She was going to see it eventually. When she shook her head he just chuckled. "Alright, solo it is. But you'll join me one of these days." He laughed as he turned and walked into the bathroom. He didn't have to look behind him to know she was admiring not just his tat, now, but his ass as well. Seemed his boxers were riding a bit low this morning...

* * *

"You seem distraught, Miss Levy." Virgo said as she placed a plate of food in front of her. Levy just sighed, putting her head in her hands. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know. It's kind of embarrassing." Levy moaned.

"I assure you, whatever you tell me will remain a secret. Consider me your confidant." Virgo gave a small smile. Levy stared at her a moment before sighing and giving in.

"I... w-when Gajeel and I woke up this morning, we kissed a-and it got pretty heavy." Levy said with a growing blush. "I-I felt something... weird, inside me and I don't know how to describe it."

"Miss Levy, could it be, you're a virgin?" Virgo asked, cocking her head. Levy blushed an nodded.

"N-nobody really took an interest in me in high school, and I was too busy during med school to date anyone. E-even though my career is all about the reproductive system... I'm still a virgin." she sighed heavily. "I-I don't know what these feelings are. I know Gajeel wants to go further a-and part of me wants to, too. Especially when I get these feelings. B-but I don't know what to do or if I'm even ready for that step."

"I believe these feelings you have are lust or attraction, Miss." Virgo said bluntly, making Levy blush deeper. "Nobody would deny, Master Gajeel is a very attractive man. One would be insane if they didn't feel a bit of lust when he was kissing them." She set down a freshly poured cup of coffee in front of Levy, who took it with a mumbled thanks. "As for your fears, Miss Levy, I wouldn't be concerned. Master cares for you, and he knows you are not ready for that step. He's been taking your relationship at your pace this whole time."

"He... has?"

"Yes. We wouldn't be having this conversation, otherwise. In fact, the fact he is even officially dating you shows a lot. Master doesn't date, if you know what I mean?" Virgo tilted her head. Levy took a second to realize what she was implying. Gajeel didn't date, he just had sex. The fact that, A, he was dating her, and B, he wasn't pushing her for sex showed an awful lot to Levy. Gajeel... he really did care about her, didn't he? Even though they'd only been dating for two weeks, even though they'd only known each other for three? "Miss Levy, just take things at the pace you feel comfortable. When you're ready for that step, you will know it and master will know it. Until then, just carry on as normal. I believe that would make Master the happiest, rather than you forcing yourself to do something you're not comfortable with."

"Yea... I guess you're right." Levy sighed, giving Virgo a light smile. "Thank you. You're a really big help."

"I try my best." Virgo smiled, but she wasn't smiling at Levy. She was smiling behind her, where Gajeel was standing in the door wearing a smirk. He knew Virgo would get Levy to open up to her, unlike with him. He gave her a small salute in thanks and silently left the room. He was right when he figured the shrimp was a virgin, and he was also right in knowing she was not ready for that stuff. Still, it made him happy to know she was willing to talk about it, even if it wasn't to him.

He sighed to himself as he went back upstairs to finish getting dressed for the day. It would be a long time, he knew, before he could fully have his shrimp. But it would be worth it, he knew. So he would continue at her pace for now, no matter how painful it was for him. The shrimp deserved that much, at the very least.

* * *

Oooh a smexy chapter, kinda, for you guys. Er, well, more like talking about sex. Hehe.

Let me know what you guys think. I'm also taking suggestions, if there's any scenarios you guys would like to see, or anything I can do to add more action. Ya know, mafia type stuff?

Oh yea, a bit of bad news. Sorry, my lovelies, but I won't be able to update for a week. It's spring break starting today so I'm going home and, unfortunately, there's no internet at home. I promise to update, probably next Sunday or Monday (not this upcoming). Sorry, don't hate me! DX

Anyways, thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	12. Vacation Start

**Chapter 12**

"They're regrouping faster than we suspected they would. At this rate, it will be only a matter of weeks before Phantom Lord is once more a threat." Makarov, Don Metallicana's right hand man and long time friend, gave out a weary sigh.

"How did they manage this so quickly? Their leader was only killed three months ago. Even the strongest of families would still be licking their wounds." Metallicana frowned deeply. He glanced at his son, who was taking in everything silently from his place at the council table. He didn't show it, but the don knew his boy was agitated by this information.

"It seems there was a plan in place for the sudden death of Jose." Makarov continued. "From the reports, it appears Jose was well aware that confronting Gajeel could have resulted in his untimely demise. They must have something big planned, if he was willing to take that chance. And if it involved Gajeel, we need to be wary."

"I agree. We need to be on high alert from now on. At least until we find a way to destroy Phantom Lord for good." Metallicana announced, looking to each of his councilors and his son. When everyone nodded in agreement he dismissed them, but kept Gajeel back. "Boy, there is still no information yet, on if they are still going to target your girl. Assume they are. Keep that girl close if you don't want to lose her."

"I know that already." Gajeel scoffed, crossing his arms. "But it's not like I can take her with me on jobs."

"Consider yourself on vacation. Maybe taking her out of town for the time being would be best anyways." Metallicana rolled his eyes. The least the boy could do was actually say he wants time off. He didn't have to do this roundabout bullshit. "You're dismissed, brat."

* * *

"Gajeel, where on earth are we going?" Levy asked as he practically dragged her out of his house. Gajeel had come home with a bag in his hand, ordered Virgo to pack their bags and send them in the next car, and then all but carried Levy out of the house.

"Gihi! First vacation in five years, shrimp. You're coming with me. We are going to the beach!"

Several hours of driving and one short plane ride later found Levy and Gajeel standing on a beach, looking up at a large beach house... where Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Juvia, and two babies were waiting for them. "Bloody fucking hell! Why are you guys here?!" Gajeel all but shouted.

"The boss sent us, boss!" Natsu grinned, an arm around his wife who was smiling nervously. "Extra protection for his heir and future daughter-in-law!"

"Eh?" Levy turned ten shades of red at this. Future daughter in law? But, but... they hadn't even dated for four months yet. They hadn't even... done it... yet. Daughter-in-law! Wasn't that a bit... presumptuous? And to top it off, was it the don who thought that way, or the rest of the family?

"I can keep both of us safe just fine." Gajeel huffed, motioning for them to leave.

"I'm sorry, boss. No can do." Gray spoke up now. "We'll get in more trouble for listening to you than we will for disobeying you."

"Arg. Fine! But stay outta my way. I just wanna relax with my girl on my first vacation in years." Gajeel finally let out an exasperated sigh as he put an arm around a furiously blushing Levy and led her inside the beach house. Everyone else just grinned and followed him inside to settle in for their 'vacation.' Gajeel was suddenly very thankful that he chose this particular beach house. The master suite was the entire top floor, which gave him and Levy plenty of privacy. Not like they needed it, now that he thought about it. Levy still wouldn't let him past second base. He wouldn't lie and say he wasn't frustrated... but he understood why she was so hesitant. Levy was an emotional creature, despite her bookworm tendencies, so her first time was something very important to her. And he wanted to make it special for her when the time came.

But that didn't mean he wasn't suffering for it. All this pent up frustration had him on edge and, honestly, rather cranky. More than one fairy tail member has suggested he find someone and get his frustrations out. Like hell he would. Loyalty was important to him. If he expected his girl to be loyal then he had to do the same. He would never so much as look at another woman so long as Levy was his girl. Still, that left him in a tight spot. Maybe this vacation would help him relax, if nothing else.

As Gajeel was thinking of his frustrations, Levy was doing the same. They'd been dating for almost four months now, and she really cared for Gajeel. She didn't know if it was love yet, but he made her happy and she wanted to spend as much time as she could with him between his jobs. She found herself worrying over his well being when he was at 'work,' and she would be so happy when he came home. She talked to him about almost everything and he would do the same. There were many late nights spent lying in bed just talking until one of them, usually Levy, finally succumbed to sleep.

The... physical aspect of their relationship was growing, too. She was still too nervous to give him everything. But their make-out sessions were more heated as of late. There was more, er, touching going on. And those strong feelings that Virgo told her were lust or attraction were getting stronger. Oftentimes it took all of her willpower to make him stop, because all she wanted was to keep going. But she wasn't ready for that big step yet, and she wanted it to be special, something she'd never forget.

She couldn't describe how thankful she was that Gajeel understood and was willing to take it at her pace. She knew it was hard for him to go at this pace, especially when Virgo hinted at the fact that he was used to having sex anytime he wanted it, with whoever he wanted. She was honestly impressed with his restraint. He rarely crossed a line with her, always sticking to the boundaries she set even in the middle of a heavy make-out session. He was usually good about knowing when enough was enough, too, and would ease up or back off before she even moved to push him away. It was as if he sensed it whenever she was feeling overwhelmed or whenever she'd decided to put her foot down. It was sweet, if she thought about it, how he knew her so well.

She sighed softly as Gajeel led her to their room for the next few days. She was still blushing from the comments about her potentially marrying Gajeel. She really did feel strongly for him. Would she... be happy as his wife one day? If she went by how she was now, the answer was yes. He treated her like a princess and really cared for her. But could she be a don's wife? Married to the leader of a crime syndicate? She didn't know, and that scared her. But she couldn't see herself leaving Gajeel. No, she was already in too deep with him. She wasn't in love yet... but she knew it would be soon. Just the thought of not seeing him anymore, it really hurt. No, she figured that, at this point, it was already too late for her. It would take something seriously major on his part to make her leave. Perhaps... perhaps she should just accept it. Accept the fact that most of the family thinks she will and wants her to marry Gajeel.

But they hadn't even been dating for four months yet. Wasn't that a bit too soon?

And then a memory came to her. She remembered talking to the don one day, when he came over for dinner at Gajeel's. She had been curious about Gajeel's mother, and her questions had led into the don revealing that he had only courted her for roughly six months before they were married, and Gajeel came along ten months later. In their line of business, he'd told her, they didn't have much time for long courtships. There was never a guarantee of tomorrow. It was better to date seriously for a short time and marry than it was to date casually for a long time, break up, get with someone else, then start the cycle over. Levy considered her relationship with Gajeel to be very serious. They spent every second together when he wasn't working, and she felt like she knew almost everything about him, just as she was sure he knew almost everything about her. There were no awkward conversations, what arguments they had were handled in a very mature fashion, and they both cared how the other felt about everything. Levy couldn't imagine herself with anyone else, and Gajeel had admitted to her that she was his dream girl. That was... pretty serious, right? Not... confession serious but still... pretty serious. And the don had a point. With no guarantee of tomorrow, perhaps dating for a shorter amount of time was for the best. Even if it wasn't, it was common enough that the family figured they would be marrying soon, because she'd stuck around this long and hadn't fled in terror yet.

"Oi." Gajeel's voice in her ear snapped Levy from her thoughts. She jumped slightly in surprise and looked up at her boyfriend. "Sheesh, shrimp, what were you thinking so hard about?"

"Er, well..." Levy blushed and looked away. "Natsu-san talked as if you and I were going to marry soon."

"And?" his response, or lack thereof, surprised her into looking at him again.

"I... um... are we?" her blushed deepened, that was not what she wanted to ask but it just came out that way.

"Do you want to?" he smirked at her deep blush. The shrimp was adorable when she looked like a tomato.

"I-I... I don't know." was all Levy could stammer out through her embarrassment. Gajeel just chuckled and bent over to be eye level with her.

"Look, I know what pops told you about dating in our line of work." he smirked at her. "But that's not always the case. The family might think we are going with the norm, but let's just keep going at whatever pace makes you the most comfortable. Just... well, just ignore all the daughter-in-law and future-boss'-wife stuff, okay?" he chuckled as her blush, somehow, got even deeper. Levy could only nod to that, though she was extremely relieved Gajeel was still going with her pace. It was sweet, and it really helped her relax. But she didn't think she could survive all the embarrassment to come.

Kami, help her.

* * *

I'm so sorry it took this long to post another chapter! This biterm of school after spring break has been super hectic. I've got a total of six classes now and I'm getting sleep deprived and I've got two tests a week and three papers due next week and argggggg. I'm sorry. Ranting. Just... bear with me if updates aren't as often. I'm sorry, but I will do them as often as I can!

Anyways, please tell me what you guys think!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	13. Oceans & Feelings

**Chapter 13**

The sound of waves lapping at the shore and the feel of the sun on her back was peaceful and relaxing, and they really helped Levy get into the feel of the book she was reading. This chapter, in particular, was about a couple on the beach. The man had just saved the woman from a group of ruffians, and now he was reciting a poem to her to woo her. Levy was so enraptured in the book she didn't notice a shadow fall over her until a voice spoke up. "Oi, oi you actually like this sappy stuff?" Gajeel's teasing voice filled her ears. Levy looked up and behind her to find that Gajeel had knelt down behind her and had been reading over her shoulder. He gave her a crooked grin as an blush spread across her face at being discovered reading something so horribly sappy and enjoying it.

"Er, u-um well, the plot i-is good if you can look past all the gushy stuff." Levy blushed as she looked away from him. "B-besides, it was the only book I could find in that beach house."

"Gihi, you're adorable when you blush, shrimp." Gajeel kissed her temple before he stood up. Levy looked at him again. It was... odd, seeing him in swim trunks... his chest and abs bare to the world. She'd had to force herself to look away when she'd first seen him like this in the beach house. There was no denying that her boyfriend was a highly attractive specimen of a man. But she really wished he would put his shirt back on, if only to stop these strange sensations she was feeling... and to stop the other women on the beach from ogling him like a piece of meat. She'd spotted more than a few women practically drooling over him, and it was making her mad and she really didn't understand why. "Oi, did you hear me?" Gajeel's question made her blink up at him. He just grinned, knowing where her eyes had been while he was talking. "I know I'm some nice eye candy, shrimp, but my eyes are up here." he couldn't help but tease the poor embarrassed woman to death. He chuckled as she blushed beet red and looked away, and he decided to give her a break. "Anyways, are ya not going to swim today, Lev? The water feels great, and it would be a shame for you to have worn the bikini I got you without getting it wet."

"It looks refreshing and I would love to." Levy frowned, still looking away from him. "But this beach is known for rip tides. My parents... that's how they died."

"I'm sorry, Lev, I didn't know." Gajeel's voice was soft and Levy felt bad for even bringing it didn't want to make him feel bad.

"It's okay. It happened when I was fairly young, so I've come to terms with it. I want to go swimming, I really do. I'm just... it still scares me." Levy mumbled, looking down at her lap. Gajeel let out a small hum as he sat down in the sand in front of her. He gently took her chin in his hand and gave a small smile to her. "You trust me, don't you?"

"With my life." She nodded without hesitation. She did. She knew she could trust him with anything, especially her own life.

"Tell you what, I'll go with you, and we won't go past your shoulders." he offered, giving her a charming grin. Levy hesitated. Rip tides were unpredictable, dangerous, and frightening. But surely it would be fine if she didn't go too deep, especially if Gajeel was there. She nodded hesitantly and accepted his offered hand, watching as he grinned in victory and stood, helping her to her feet.

Levy hesitated at the water's edge. Gajeel was already a foot into the water, but he was turned to face her and he held her hand gently yet firmly in was patient with her, letting her go at her pace, and he grinned when she stepped into the ocean for the first time since that night so long ago when her parents had died. Sure, she'd been swimming since then, but it was always in a pool or a lake. Not the ocean. There was something different about how it felt, and Levy smiled blissfully as she found herself surrounded by the gentle waves and the salty breeze. As she found herself waist deep in the water, she looked up at Gajeel with a bright smile.

"See? Not so bad, huh?"Gajeel chuckled, immensely pleased with himself for getting Levy into the water. He hadn't seen her smile this much in a good while. It was obvious she was enjoying the water, even if she was holding onto his hands for dear life.

"No, it's wonderful. I'd forgotten how nice swimming in the ocean can be." Levy giggled as Gajeel lifted her by the waist as a wave came, letting her ride the wave without fear of being pulled under. She tensed at first when she couldn't feel the sand beneath her feet, but after two or three waves she was smiling again, trusting Gajeel's ability to keep her afloat completely. He slowly eased up on his grip, moving his hands to hold her hands, and pretty soon she was jumping with the waves while just holding one of his hands, smiling and laughing the whole time. He just stood there with a lopsided grin on his face, just watching her enjoy herself. She was beautiful this way, full of joy and childish amusement, laughing and smiling as she played in the water wearing the adorable pink bikini he'd bought her that morning. Kami, she was gorgeous and he was so lucky to have her by his side.

His one light in his world of darkness. His Levy.

* * *

"They're so cute together." Lucy giggled as she watched Gajeel and Levy swimming together in the ocean. Juvia smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Boss has the same eyes Juvia has when she looks at her Gray-sama." Juvia commented with dreamy sigh. "Juvia thinks Mr. Boss has finally found his true love. So romantic." Lucy just laughed and shook her head. Juvia was such a romantic. But she had a point. Gajeel had his eyes glued to Levy, and he was wearing an expression she'd never seen before on the usually cold, ruthless man.

Perhaps Juvia was right. To an extent, at least. Perhaps...Gajeel finally found someone to love. Lucy could only hope it all worked out in the end.

* * *

Gajeel chuckled to himself as he carried an exhausted Levy back to the beach house on his back. Everyone else was already inside and likely turned in for the night. Levy had insisted on a moonlit stroll along the beach, because it was 'romantic' and Gajeel happily obliged her as long as it meant he could keep seeing that smile on her , they'd ended up walking farther than they'd expected, mostly because they spent the entire time talking about everything under the sun, er, moon. Levy gave out about halfway through the return trip, which led to Gajeel carrying her on his back. He was quite aware that she was drifting off to sleep, but he didn't mind. He knew she was happy, and had had a blast today. That made him grin.

"Smell... good..." Levy mumbled sleepily. He glanced back at her and her eyes were closed. She probably didn't even know she'd said anything, she was so out of it.

"What do I smell like, shrimp?" he chuckled softly, not really expecting a response.

"Like sandalwood and... copper." she mumbled around a yawn. He saw her eyes open slightly and she gave a sleepy smile. So she was more awake than he thought. "I like it." She admitted sleepily. Gajeel just smirked.

"Good to know, gihi." he chuckled as he carried her up the steps to the beach house. He spotted Natsu on the roof with a pair of night-vision binoculars and a walkie talkie in hand. He'd apparently been watching their walk to make sure they were both safe. He would have radioed Gray if he saw anything suspicious happening. Gajeel was proud of how loyal his family was to him and his father, and he was definitely impressed with how often they went above and beyond.

"Hey Gajeel..." another yawn came from the small woman on his back. They were inside now, and he was carrying her up the stairs to their room. He glanced back to find her eyes closed again. "How can you tell... if you're in love?" her question made him pause in his steps, stopping right outside their bedroom door.

"Why ask me this, Lev? I'm not that great with feelings, you know." Gajeel shook his head lightly before reaching to open the bedroom door.

"All I have to go off of... is books." Levy said around a yawn. "And Lucy and Juvia give me these extravagant answers that sound so... childish." She lifted her chin off his shoulder and opened her eyes to look at him sleepily. "I figured... you would at least have a more," yawn, "realistic view of it."

"Hmm."Gajeel hummed as he carried the young woman over to the bed. He gently put her down onto the bed before joining her, sitting next to her as she rubbed at her eyes sleepily. "I'm not the best person to ask, Lev. Not like I've ever been in love, either."

"Just tell me what you think it would be like." Levy yawned again.

"Well." Gajeel scratched his head as he thought. "Probably something like never wanting to leave that person's side, wanting to make sure that person is safe and happy always, and feeling empty without them by your side. I guess." He shrugged, a light blush coming to his face as he realized that's exactly how he felt about Levy. He turned to tell her such, and found her completely passed out on the bed, soft snores coming from her sleeping form. She likely hadn't even heard what he'd said and, even if she did, she probably wouldn't remember it. She was fairly exhausted, after all.

Gajeel gave a heavy sigh as he arranged her to be comfortable in bed and then joined her before turning out the lights. He finally realized he was in love with his little shrimp, and she up and falls asleep before he can tell her. Just his luck. Perhaps he should find a more, er, romantic way to tell her, anyways. Yea, that's what he would do. He would surprise her, and tell her how he felt. He just hoped she felt the same, though based on her line of questioning she likely did.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Another chapter hurray! Thanks for waiting patiently! I'm sad, I only got 2 reviews on the last chapter. Please, please, please give me more reviews! They make me update faster! (Wink, wink) Also sorry for not going very into detail about Levy's parents. Death is hard for me to write about. Sorry.

Please review!

Thanks for reading, like always!

-Everythingnerd12


	14. Embarrassment

**Chapter 14**

"Oh, they're so cute!" Levy cooed as she held two baby girls in her arms. These were the babies she had delivered, and she was so glad to see that they were happy and healthy. The eldest, Mizumi, was around five months old and she had a cute little wisp of blue hair and dark blue eyes. She was calmly looking around, taking in everything quietly, and was much like her mother, Juvia. The youngest, who was aptly named Kasai, was four months and had a full head of pink hair with warm hazel eyes. Kasai was starting to squirm, and Lucy told her that the child had Natsu's personality to the T.

"So, Levy..." Lucy's voice took on an evil tone as she leaned in to look at the blue haired woman. "When should we expect you and Gajeel to pop one out? Before or after the wedding?"

"Eh?" It took Levy a moment to register what she said, and then her face flushed so furiously you could see steam coming off of her head, earning a hearty laugh from Lucy and a plethora of giggles from Juvia. But the torture didn't end there. Lucy had to go and whisper in her ear, suggesting different sex positions to help her conceive. Levy couldn't even speak, let alone tell the girls that she and Gajeel hadn't done anything of that sort. Kami, she felt like she could just die right there. The giggling women took their respective babies from Levy, who looked about ready to pass out from embarrassment.

"Oi, oi, stop breaking my girlfriend." Gajeel grumbled as he walked in from the kitchen, having heard the last bit of their conversation. "You guys are supposed to be keeping her safe, not making her have an aneurysm." He walked over to his poor mortified girl and picked her up, effectively rescuing her from the older women. Levy just hid her face in his chest. She wanted to crawl under a rock, she was so embarrassed.

"We're just curious." Lucy defended with a giggle. "So, Mr. Boss, when's the wedding?"

"Nunya business." He huffed before carrying Levy out of the beach house. Gah, having everyone else around was getting annoying. He just wanted a nice vacation with his girl, but that was apparently too much to ask for. No, his dad had to go and send those two families with him. Now he had Natsu and Gray as hidden body guards, which if it was just those two he could handle it. But they'd brought their wives and brats, who were stealing Levy's time away from him on top of making the house a hell of a lot louder.

"Where are we going?" Levy's quiet voice came after several minutes of him walking in silence. He glanced down at her to see that she'd finally removed her face from his chest, and was staring up at him. Her cheeks were still rosy from blushing so hard, but her eyes were full of relief. She was glad he'd rescued her from those girls. Otherwise she would have passed out from embarrassment.

"There's a beach side restaurant a ways down. We're getting lunch." He told her. She nodded and tried to slip out of his arms, but he held her firmly. "Oi, why don't you just let me carry you? I didn't think to grab your sandals, and the sand's pretty damn hot today." He told her, acting like him carrying her was an option when it really wasn't. And she knew it wasn't, based on her blush deepening slightly.

"O-okay." she mumbled, leaning her head against his chest and getting comfortable. Gajeel resumed walking in silence, but he glanced down at her occasionally. She was giving him shy looks here and there, and he noticed her starting to blush deeply after a while. Her eyes seemed to be off in the distance. He wondered what she was imagining, if she was blushing that bad. He recalled the conversation he heard earlier in the house and smirked. Was she thinking of him? If she was, it could be one of three things. Marrying him, having a baby with him, or doing the act that caused said baby. "It's not fair." Levy's sudden words made him look at her again. She was still blushing, and she was halfway hiding her face in his chest, one hand gripping his black tank top firmly.

"What's not?" he questioned.

"That everyone gets to tease me." she pouted. "J-just because I've never... y-you know..."

"Lev, I don't think they know you're still a virgin." Gajeel looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I don't exactly have a reputation of chastity, and we are sharing a room, after all." Levy flushed at that. She hadn't thought of it. "I think at most they just think you're not used to talking about it with other people. Yer pretty old fashioned, after all." he gave her a small smirk. Levy just looked away with a blush and they returned to silence for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"It's difficult, isn't it?" she asked quietly. When he raised an eyebrow at her she continued. "G-going at my pace, I mean. S-surely you have pent up, er, frustrations... I-I heard about how you were with women b-before... me."

"Oi." Gajeel stopped and set her down in a shaded area beneath a tree. He hooked a finger under her chin when she refused to meet his eyes. "Levy, let's get one thing clear before you go assuming things. I don't care how long it takes for you to be comfortable going that far, I will wait until that day comes." he told her firmly. "And don't you worry about loyalty with me. I only have eyes for you. you're important to me, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. Don't you ever feel like you need to force yourself to do something you're not ready for with me." he said sternly, coming off unusually sweet. Levy felt like her heart just melted.

"Gajeel..." she gave him a small smile as she looked up at him. Then she stood on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. "Thank you. That... means a lot to me." He just chuckled softly and kissed her back, keeping it chaste.

"C'mon, my shrimp. The restaurant ain't far now." He opened his arms to her and she moved into them. They hugged for a moment before he gently lifted her up again and resumed walking. Levy wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck and rested her cheek on his shoulder, smiling sweetly at him all the while. He was so tough and cold on the outside, but then he went and said and did all these sweet things for her that just made her heart turn into a puddle of goo. Kami, she was starting to think she was falling head over heels for him. Part of her was scared at that... but part of her just wanted to dive headfirst into that feeling and drown in it.

And then he went and ruined the moment by pinching her ass. The resulting slap could be heard a mile away... followed by Gajeel's characteristic laugh and a hearty "There's my fiery shrimp!"

* * *

Just a short little chapter, expanding on Levy's feelings. Hope you guys liked it.

Tell me what you think! I was so happy with all the reviews! They really motivate me!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	15. Alone Time

**Chapter 15**

Their little lunch turned into a full on escape from everyone else. It didn't take long for Gajeel to figure out that Levy wanted some alone time, too. Even their private moments weren't completely private, and they both knew this... and it was getting on their nerves. As they talked over lunch, Gajeel devised a plan to ditch the body guards that were following them discreetly, even now. But the question was, how to ditch them. He could see Gray and Natsu now. Gray was trying to blend into the crowd at the restaurant, holding up a newspaper and pretending to read. Natsu was outside, occasionally peeking in through a window as he pretended to be on his cell phone. They were good body guards; few people would be able to tell they were keeping a very close eye on him and Levy. But they stood out like a sore thumb to both of their charges.

"Oi, shrimp." Gajeel got her attention. She looked up at him, her fork full of fish halfway to her mouth. "Let's go shopping after this. There's a mall nearby. We can get ya some shoes there. Besides, I wanna get you some more swim suits." he smirked as she gave a light blush.

"A-are you sure? I don't like you spending a lot of money on me." she mumbled before sticking her fork in her mouth. She should be used to it by now, she mused. Gajeel liked to spoil her with anything she wanted. She practically had her own library at his house now. But she was always uncomfortable whenever he spoiled her like that.

"I'm more than sure." Gajeel chuckled, leaning across the table and motioning for her ear. "I got a plan to ditch the dumbasses. Play along." Levy gave a slow nod, a smile coming to her face as Gajeel sat back with a grin.

"As long as you're sure." Levy shook her head slightly and continued eating. Gajeel said he had a plan, so she would just have to go along with it. Besides, if it worked, they would finally have some real alone time for once. They finished eating and Gajeel paid the tab. Once outside, Gajeel looked at Levy expectantly, stopping her before her feet touched the sand. She gave a cute pout. "I'm fine walking barefoot, you know."

"I'm not kidding, shrimp, that sand is super hot today." Gajeel warned her, but let her go. She would learn soon enough. He followed her carefully as she stepped into the sand and started walking. It took a good fifteen seconds before it was clearly painful for her, but she marched on anyways with an adorably determined pout. Gajeel shook his head. His shrimp was so stubborn. Ten seconds later he noticed her eyes were starting to water. That was as far as he'd let it go. Without a word, he scooped her up into one arm and wiped off the hot sand from her feet with his free hand. He took a look at her feet. They were red, but luckily not burnt too much. They would feel better in a few minutes. Meanwhile his shrimp gave a soft sniffle, trying not to cry. Whether from pain or defeat, he didn't know, but that sure stopped the "I told you so" that was on the tip of his tongue. He shifted her into both of his arms and placed a soft kiss to her temple. "It's okay, Lev, just let me carry you. I'll get you some shoes in the mall."

"Okay." She mumbled, sounding utterly defeated. So it was her pride that hurt more than her feet. Gajeel shook his head with a small smile and resumed walking. She was silent all the way to the mall, still pouting. Gajeel found it utterly adorable, and he couldn't stop himself from leaning down and capturing those pouty lips in a kiss. He surprised Levy, but she recovered quickly and kissed him back. She blushed prettily for him when he nipped at her lip before pulling back. It was all he could do to pull back from the kiss, and he had to remind himself that their private moment wasn't really private. Once they ditched the guards he could kiss her as much as he wanted. That sure encouraged him to hurry to the mall.

"I'm sorry, sir, but no shirt, no shoes, no service." a mall employee stopped them at the door a few minutes later.

"Dude, I'm trying to buy her some shoes. Can't you let it slide?" Gajeel huffed. The employee didn't back down, even when a hundred was waved in his face.

"It's okay, I can wait outside until you buy me some shoes. Then I can go in. Right?" Levy glanced at the absurdly strict employee, who nodded in agreement. Gajeel grumbled, worried about leaving Levy alone. He supposed having the body guards wasn't that bad all the time. He looked around for one of them and made eye contact with Gray, who nodded, silently telling him that Levy would be guarded.

"Fine. Size six?" he raised a studded eyebrow at his girl, who nodded with a small smile. He remembered her shoe size? That was kind of weird... kind of sweet. "I'll be back." he huffed before gently setting her down in a shaded area and then hurrying into the mall. He grabbed the first pair of size six white sandals that he found, purchased them, then hurried outside. With no further complaint from the mall staff, they headed into the mall together.

Making sure the guards weren't within listening distance, Gajeel leaned over to Levy and whispered out his plan. She nodded and followed him into the most crowded part of the mall. They split up just before reaching a large cluster of people, and they headed into the fray, ducking down once they were inside. She could hear Natsu's curse at losing them, and she had to stop herself from giggling as she weaved through the crowd. It helped that she was so short, and she wondered how Gajeel was managing to elude them with as tall and obvious as he was. Somehow she managed to make it through the crowd and she hurried to the nearby exit, hiding around the corner. She let out a startled gasp as arms wrapped around her waist, and she looked behind her to find a grinning Gajeel.

"Not bad, shrimp, not bad at all." Gajeel chuckled. He'd been able to lose the dorks quite easily, having years and years of practice doing so. The trouble had been finding something Levy could do, too, and Gajeel determined that, with her short stature, it would be easiest for her to slip through a crowd and lose them that way. There was still a chance it wouldn't work, since Levy was so inexperienced with these kinds of things, but Gajeel was proud of her for successfully losing them. Levy beamed under his praise. He grinned as he waved down a taxi and opened the door for her. "C'mon, Lev, let's get out of here before they find us."

* * *

"What are you guys doing back so soon? And where are Gajeel and Levy?" Lucy questioned as two defeated body guards walked back into the beach house. Natsu groaned and flopped down on the couch.

"That Gajeel..." Gray sighed. "He ditched us, even got Levy to do it, too. Lost us in the mall, and we couldn't track them down after that."

"I think they took a taxi somewhere." Natsu groaned out. "Oh, man, we're gonna be in so much trouble with the boss."

"I wouldn't worry too much." Lucy shook her head at the boys. "This is Gajeel we're talking about. They'll be fine."

* * *

"We're lost." Levy sighed heavily as she leaned against a nearby building.

They had been walking around downtown for almost two hours now, and Gajeel had gotten them thoroughly lost. It had started off great. They got out of the taxi at an ice cream shop, gotten some ice cream, and then went to browse all the many boutiques that were downtown. Gajeel ended up buying her a new sundress and a cute red striped bikini. Then they simply walked for a while, until they realized they were no longer downtown. Backtracking got them back downtown, but in a different part than where they'd been before. And, with the small town starting to close down for the evening, there were no more taxis coming through. In fact, as the sun began to set, the town was starting to look deserted.

Gajeel grumbled to himself as he tried to get signal for his phone to work. It was bad enough his battery was dying, but now he was using what little he had left to try and make a call... only to get disconnected before he reached Natsu or Gray. Finally, the phone died. Gajeel cursed his luck.

"Alright, shrimp, let's keep walking. We'll find someone out here eventually." Gajeel sighed, putting an arm around his girl and leading her down the street. There was still light out but the sun was beginning to set. It would be dark soon enough, and Gajeel knew the night would bring out the punks, even in small towns like this. He was glad he'd thought to bring his gun today. At least he could protect Levy.

"Look." Levy pointed to a shop that was still lit, down the street. "Maybe they will let us use their phone."

"Un." Gajeel agreed, and they picked up their pace. Only to stop when a group of four men stepped out in front of them, coming out of an alley. Gajeel glared at them, moving to quickly push Levy behind himself. He eyed the punks warily. They were armed with crowbars and bats, and had their faces mostly covered by bandanas. No firearms to what he could tell. Still, he'd rather not risk Levy's safety with a fight. He was about to ask them what they wanted, when their apparent leader stepped forward, aiming his crowbar at him.

"If you know what's good for you, hand over all your money." the man demanded. Gajeel just raised an eyebrow. This guy couldn't be more than five feet tall, and Gajeel towered over him by a good amount. In fact, they were all either short or lanky. True they had numbers on their side, but Gajeel could probably exhale and knock them on their asses with the wind.

"How bout you go on yer way... if you know what's good fer you." Gajeel countered, reaching for his weapon that was hidden under his tank, secured by a snug holster. The leader saw what he was reaching for an attacked, swinging the crowbar like a bat right onto Gajeel's shoulder. Levy let out a frightened cry as she hid behind Gajeel. Gajeel just grunted and rolled his shoulder, brushing off the attack easily. He grinned down at the leader. He knew he wouldn't be able to do much damage. All it took after that was merely brandishing his gun to the men. They took off with their tails between their legs as Gajeel just laughed at them.

"Are you alright?" Levy asked when the men were finally gone. Gajeel turned to look at her and gave a reassuring grin.

"'Course I am, shrimp. Might bruise just a little but I barely felt it." He shook his head as he put his gun back in his holster. "C'mon, that shop's still open. Let's call for a ride back to the beach house."

* * *

I'm sorry it took so long to get another chapter up for you guys. School and stuff is really getting in the way. There's only a few weeks left before summer, so bare with me.

Anyways, please tell me what you think of this chapter!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	16. Rats

**Chapter 16**

The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a butter knife. Gray and Natsu both stared at the phone that was now sitting on the table. Not even a minute ago they'd ended a call with the don, who had called with news about the Phantom Lord family. This... this was not good news. No, it was far from good. Phantom Lord had gathered their strength back much, much faster than they had planned, and the don had reports that they were going to target Gajeel full force. To make matters worse... Natsu and Gray had no idea where Gajeel was!

Of all the times for him to ditch them, it had to be now, when Phantom Lord was after him! Sure, Gajeel could handle himself, but even he was only human. He could get overwhelmed by numbers, someone could get the jump on him, or they could even use Levy against him. Natsu looked at Gray who looked back at him. They both nodded in unison. They needed to go out and find Gajeel and Levy. Right now.

The sudden ringing of the phone startled both men, who jumped nearly five feet away from the table. Gray was the one to step forward and answer with a tense 'hello.' Immediately he relaxed and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Boss, where are you?" Natsu also let out a loud sigh, hearing that it was Gajeel on the other end. "You guys went that far out? Yea, give us a few. We'll pick you guys up." He hung up the phone and turned to Natsu. "They're two towns over and his phone died. Let's go pick them up and tell them what the Don said."

* * *

Levy paled as Gray told her the news. They were in Natsu's car, riding back to the beach house, and Levy had been relieved to finally be going back. She was exhausted after walking around all day, but she'd had a lot of fun with Gajeel. And her good mood flew out the window as soon as Gray told them he got a call from the don about Phantom Lord. Gajeel's mood, too, soured at this, but he remained silent and let Gray finish.

"Any word on if they're aware of my location?" Gajeel asked once silence fell on the car.

"The boss didn't say. He told us to warn you, and it sounded like it might be a possibility." Gray answered.

"They recovered far too quickly." Gajeel growled. "It's suspicious."

"They're stronger, too, boss." Natsu commented. "All our spies have either been found and eliminated, or forced to withdraw before getting any information."

"I smell a rat." Gajeel scowled. He glanced at Levy and noticed how pale she was. He knew she still had occasional nightmares about that day. She was surely worried about a repeat. He pulled her from her seat to sit on his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her firmly yet gently. His silent promise to her that he would protect her. She relaxed slightly, but still worried her lip between her teeth as she listened to the conversation.

"If you think there's a rat, the boss probably does, too." Natsu said as he stopped the car at a stop sign. "It does seem likely, given how fast they recovered and how strong they are now. But our family is so loyal. Who would do such a thing?"

"There are always traitors, no matter how loyal a family may be." Gajeel grumbled, remembering a time when his father had told him that, as well.

"Wise words." Levy mumbled, looking up at her boyfriend. "It's sad that they're true."

"Indeed, it is, Miss Levy." Gray nodded from the passenger seat. "If you can't trust family... who can you trust?"

* * *

Another chapter for you guys. Just a short one to get the ball going for the next phase of the story.

Can you guys guess who the traitor is? There's a few hints in this chapter, and let's just say something similar happened in the anime (not 100% though). Should be enough of a hint for you. Let me know if you got it ;D

Thanks for reading, like always!

-Everythingnerd12


	17. Confessions

**Chapter 17**

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Gajeel growled into the phone as he paced in the bedroom. Levy glanced up from the book she was reading to look at him. She worried her lip as she watched him pace. He was tense and angry, and rightfully so. There was a rat in Fairy Tail, someone who was helping Phantom Lord regain their footing, someone who wanted Gajeel out of the picture. And Gajeel had only found out about this today, even though his father had known or at least suspected it for days. "What the hell do you expect me to do, old man? If I stay here much longer they're gonna find me." He stopped for a second as his father responded, and then he growled. "It's not me I'm worried about! Damn it, old man, I'm trying to keep my girl safe!" And now she worried her lip for another reason.

It would be better for Gajeel if he didn't have to worry about her safety. But what could she possibly do about that? Leave him? Or would he send her away for her safety? Or worse, would he just toss her aside? No, she couldn't bare that thought for even a second. Just the thought of no longer being by his side... it hurt something deep within her. She wondered why until a whisper in the back of her mind made her freeze. _You love him..._ She flushed at this and her heart skipped a beat. Could it be? She really had fallen for him already? She peeked over to the man plaguing her mind. He was still on the phone, oblivious of her inner struggles, ranting away at his father. She bit her lip as she tried to think of her life before she met him.

Even though it had only been almost five months, it felt like a life time ago when she was alone in her own apartment, working herself to exhaustion, reading books to put her loneliness somewhat at bay, crying herself to sleep when that didn't work... a peaceful yet lonely life. And then Gajeel burst into the scene and flipped her world upside down. She didn't expect a relationship to come of it, didn't expect she'd actually want the relationship, and certainly didn't expect to fall in love with the man that changed her world forever. And yet here she was, despite the danger, despite the uncertainty, and all she could think about when she looked at Gajeel was how much he meant to her and how much it would hurt her if she ever had to leave his side. If he ever made her leave his side... She didn't think she could live without him...

She didn't realize she was crying. It wasn't until Gajeel glanced her way and froze mid-sentence, that she realized her cheeks were wet. Gajeel hung up with his father quickly after that and went to her side, kneeling in front of her on the ground. She thought in the back of her head how unfair it was that he was so tall that, even on his knees, he was eye level with her as she sat on the bed. The forefront of her mind, however, was realizing that she was crying, and trying to stop the tears, and failing... Gajeel didn't say a word, he just stared her in the eye, his face full of concern. He reached up and ever so gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs, then took her face gently in his hands as she closed her eyes and felt more tears fall. He wiped those away, too, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. She opened her eyes at the kiss, locking eyes with him. Something was in his eyes, some emotion she couldn't place, but he looked so gentle in that moment despite his piercings and bulging muscles and the gun tucked into the holster at his side. She felt so safe right there, and she wished that feeling could have lasted forever.

But his ringing phone ruined the moment. Gajeel frowned and flipped open the phone only to snap it shut again and toss it away. He turned his attention back to Levy as she wiped at her eyes with a small sniffle. She looked so small and delicate to him in that moment, and he felt bad for putting her in danger and making her scared. Although... he had a hunch that she wasn't crying because she was scared of Phantom Lord. This seemed... deeper. The way she looked at him through her tears, as if she needed him, as if she would be lost without him... he wondered what would make her look at him like that.

"Lev..." he surprised even himself with how gentle he sounded. He cupped her face in his hands and made her look him in the eye again. "Tell me what's wrong. Please, Levy."

"D-don't throw me away..." she sniffled before she could even think about her words first, a very un-Levy-like thing of her. Her words were soft and weak and full of emotion. "I-I don't want to leave your side, n-not ever..."

"Lev... why would you think I would throw you away?" Gajeel frowned as he wiped away her fresh tears. She tried to look away from him but he held her face firmly yet gently in his hands, keeping her eyes on him. He watched the sadness fill her eyes before she spoke.

"I-I'm weak... and a burden. Y-you wouldn't have to w-worry so much about Phantom Lord if you didn't have to protect me."

"Oi, don't be ridiculous." Gajeel scowled. "Levy, you have not ever been weak or a burden and you never will be." He told her firmly. "I am not protecting you because you saved my life, cause I already repaid that. I'm not protecting you just because you're my girl or because you're part of the family now." He paused and took a deep breath before locking eyes with her, his eyes full of fire and determination. "Levy McGarden, I am protecting you and will always protect you because I am in love with you! Don't you dare think otherwise, and never think I'm going to throw you aside, because that is the last thing I will ever do." Levy's eyes were wide in surprise as she stared at him. He was blushing faintly, only enough that she only saw it because of how close he was. His eyes were determined but also vulnerable, which was understandable. He just told her he loved her. Gajeel... he loved her... he loved _her_!

Gajeel was starting to think he made a mistake by admitting his feelings so early, especially when he saw her eyes well up with tears. But then she threw herself into his arms with a soft sob, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him with everything she had. He held her close and kissed her back, slightly confused as to why she was crying but also kissing him. And then she pulled away and said with a quiet sob, "I love you, too." The instant he heard those words he pulled her back for another kiss, wrapping his arms around her and holding her even closer. He didn't think four words could make him feel so relieved, overjoyed, and calm all at once. Yet here he was. Mavis, he wished this moment could last forever.

And then the moment was ruined yet again by a ringing phone. Gajeel let out an annoyed snarl and grabbed the offending phone off the floor, keeping Levy firmly in his other arm and pressed against his chest as she tried to dry her tears again. He snapped the phone open and ignored his father's annoyed proclamation of him being rude for hanging up on him. "Old man, we're coming back to Magnolia tomorrow. I'm going to end these Phantom Lord bastards once and for all." Gajeel said firmly. "Oh, and the shrimp and I are gonna move into the mansion. Later." He hung up before his father could protest, then turned off the phone. He noticed Levy was keeping her face buried in his chest again. "Oi, don't go hiding from me now."

"Did you mean it?" she mumbled from his chest. "Y-you really love me?"

"I don't lie." Gajeel scoffed, hooking a finger under her chin and making her look at him again. "I mean it, Lev. I love you. This isn't how I wanted to tell you, but it's the truth." Then he raised an eyebrow at her. "Did you mean it, too?"

"Y-yes." She answered instantly, a fierce blush coming to her cheeks. "I... I only realized recently... but I do love you, Gajeel."

"Good." Gajeel tilted her chin and kissed her again, softly this time. "Levy, don't ever think you're a burden to me. Understand?" When she nodded he gave her a small smile. "Alright. C'mon, we need to pack."

* * *

Yay they confessed! Sorry it took a little bit for this chapter, but what do you guys think? Emotional confession, Levy's fears, Gajeel's embarrassment... idk I felt like this was a good way for everything to come out.

Anyways, please review and tell me what you think!

Like always, thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	18. Need You

**Chapter 18**

Levy felt like she was floating, gently floating down a peaceful river, surrounded by warm arms and a masculine scent. Oh, it was so soothing, so relaxing to her. She snuggled further into the warmth surrounding her, breathing deeply to inhale that scent that she knew she knew but she could not place. Mavis, it was nice. She just wanted to stay this way and enjoy these feelings forever. But it ended far too soon. The warm arms and the comforting scent left her, and she felt a cooler, though much softer, surface against her back. The contrast was enough to bring her half-awake brain to consciousness, and she slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at Gajeel as he pulled a blanket up to her chin. It took her a moment to realize she was in a bedroom, though it was one she'd never been in before. She tried to think of where she was, and her memories slowly returned to her. That's right... they'd left the beach house very early in the morning, perhaps around 2 a.m., and she'd fallen asleep during the last stretch back to Magnolia. She remembered Gajeel saying something about them going to the Don's mansion, instead of Gajeel's house. Was that where she was?

"You're awake, shrimp?" Gajeel's voice was a quiet whisper as he looked down at her. She nodded slowly.

"Where are we?" she asked softly.

"My old man's home." he said as he sat down on the bed beside her. He placed a hand on her face, rubbing at her cheek with his thumb. "I gotta go talk with him, shrimp. Go back to sleep, and I should be back before you wake up again."

"What about..." he silenced her by pressing his thumb against her lips. He saw the bit of fear in her eyes and knew what she was worried about. There was a rat in the family, and they were after Gajeel. They might very well attack Levy to get to him.

"You're safe here. Only a handful of people are allowed in this place, and nobody knows that we came back." he assured her. "You'll be safe while I'm gone. Besides, I got Salamander guarding yer room til I come back." This put her at ease and she relaxed. Gajeel leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss before standing up. She noticed, then, that he was back in his typical work suit once more, his hair slicked back and pulled into a pony tail behind him. She kind of missed seeing him with his hair down and in normal clothes, even though the suit was very flattering on him. He looked wilder with his hair down, but much more natural. "Get some sleep, shrimp. I'll be back in a little while."

"Okay. Good night." Levy said around a yawn, already feeling drowsiness catch up to her again. He gave her a charming grin and turned to walk out of the room. She was asleep again before the door closed.

* * *

"Boy." Don Metallicana greeted his son when he stepped into the office. The don was irritated with him for coming back to Magnolia, Gajeel knew, but he didn't give a damn. The family mansion was the safest place for Levy to be, even with a rat in the family, and Gajeel was determined to keep her safe. The last thing he wanted was a repeat of the hospital incident. Mavis, Levy still had nightmares about that.

"Pops." Gajeel responded. He knew they weren't going to talk about his return. It was done now, after all, and moving anywhere else so soon would be more than a big tip for Phantom Lord. They would be watching him closely now that he was back in the city. They would know if he left the city again, and exactly where he went.

"How's your woman handling this?" Metallicana sighed. "Last I remembered, she was still quite scared of Phantom Lord."

"Un." Gajeel plopped down in a chair with a heavy sigh. "She's putting on a brave face, but she's scared. Hasn't left my side since we found out." He didn't need to talk to Levy to know that she was rather terrified. It was understandable, after the incident at the hospital. The only reason she wasn't glued to his side right now was because she trusted Natsu to keep her safe in Gajeel's place while he was gone. Gajeel also knew she was upset about having to be protected. She confided in him that she wished she was strong, like he was. Then she wouldn't need protection, and maybe she wouldn't be so afraid. She'd even asked him to teach her how to protect herself. He was more than willing to teach her, of course, but he'd also made sure she knew that he liked her just the way she was. The sweet little doctor that loved babies and hated violence. She needed to know how to protect herself, yes, but he would still protect her with his life before she needed to use those skills.

"She's really god for you, you know that, boy?" Metallicana gave a wry grin to his son. "Determined, temperamental, loyal... sweet, caring, smart. She balances you out and compliments you all at once." he chuckled. Gajeel just smirked. He knew his old man practically loved Levy like a daughter already. It wasn't hard to love someone like her, after all, but Gajeel was glad he at least had his father's blessing, unspoken though it may be.

"Pops, I want her to stay in the mansion til this is all over. She's safer here than anywhere else." Gajeel said now. The don just nodded his consent. "I also want Gray and Natsu stationed here as her guards at all times."

"Why those two?"

"They knew her and she knows them." Gajeel shrugged. "Plus, I trust them." He knew neither one was the rat, and neither were their wives. They were far too loyal to the family.

"Very well." the don consented. Then he turned to his computer and pulled up an image before turning the screen to his son. Gajeel narrowed his eyes at what he saw. The beach house, the one they were just at, was in flames. It reminded Gajeel of when Phantom Lord set a fire in Levy's apartment. "I was going to scold you for acting rashly and coming back so soon... but I got this image only ten minutes ago." The don shook his head with a weary sigh. "No doubt, it's Phantom Lord's work."

"Yeah. They did the exact same thing to Levy's apartment." Gajeel scowled. Now he was incredibly glad he'd made everyone leave this morning, and return to Magnolia.

"There's also this." The don clicked a button and pulled up another picture. One that made Gajeel growl in rage. It was a picture of a picture that had been stapled to the front door of the beach house and halfway burnt from the fire. A picture of Levy in the middle of changing her clothes. The picture was burnt too much, but it was obvious she was topless at the very least. It was obviously taken through the window of the beach house.

"They're going to target her." Gajeel growled, standing up and pacing in the office. This was the last thing he wanted for her. He was fine if they were just going after him, but if they so much as looked at Levy he was going to destroy them. And it was obvious from that last picture... they'd looked. And, more than that, they threatened. "They're all dead."

"Couldn't agree more." The don nodded. "But you have to cool off, brat. Don't go rushing at them with a hot head." Gajeel just growled, clenching his fist. He wanted to go out, find the first Phantom Lord thug he could, and give them a slow, agonizing death. But his old man was right. He needed to calm down and go about this rationally. "Look, I've got a meeting with Makarov tomorrow. Just him. Can't trust anyone else until we find the rat, but we're going to come up with a plan to flush the rat out." Metallicana told him as he began to calm down a bit. "Come to the meeting. We'll go from there. Til then, go keep your girl safe." Gajeel took a deep breath, held it, and let it out before nodding. He could do that. He could be patient for a little bit. And Levy would be safest at his side, at least for now.

"Alright." Gajeel nodded again. He glanced at his father and left, walking back to the room he'd left Levy in. His old room.

Levy was still asleep when he quietly entered the room. He couldn't help but stop at the door just to look at her for a moment. She was so beautiful, sleeping peacefully on his bed. She wasn't sprawled out like she usually was. No, this time she was lying on her side, cuddling a pillow in her arms. Her wavy blue hair framed her face, her long dark eye lashes fluttered softly on her cheeks, and her mouth was slightly parted, her cute pink lips plump and firm. Gajeel found himself slightly envious of the pillow she cuddled. Without a second thought he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed with her. He pulled the pillow from her arms and grinned when she instantly reached out for him. His arm was captured by her smaller arms, and a small smile formed on her lips as she rubbed her cheek against his biceps. Gajeel just smirked and wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed in her scent, forgetting about his anger the moment her sweet scent filled his nose. He could worry about Phantom Lord later. Right now, he just needed this. He needed Levy.

* * *

Kind of a sweet chapter, I think :) I'm so glad I had time to update again. But I have two papers and a speech due next week so... might not be able to update for a little while.

Please tell me what you think! I love reviews!

Thanks for Reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	19. Morning Bliss

A/N: mature scene warning (finally!) Lime-content, not really a full lemon. No eyes beyond this point that aren't 18 years or older.

 **Chapter 19**

A soft whimper was the sound that woke Gajeel the next morning. He opened his red eyes and looked around the room for the source of the sound. Scanning the room, he found no intruders, and he turned his eyes to the young woman held securely in his arms. She was still asleep, spooned perfectly against him, safe and sound. But her cheeks were flushed and she was squirming just a bit. At first he worried she might have a fever, but there was no mistaking the next sound that came from her mouth, a long quiet moan, followed by her rubbing her thighs together. Gajeel almost groaned.

His little virgin shrimp was having a wet dream. Fuck, that was hot. And pure torture for him. Were she anyone else he could just wake her up and make her dream a reality. He was still tempted to do it, just wake her up and introduce her to pleasures she'd never known before. Mavis, he was so tempted. But that's not how he wanted to take her virginity, and he knew that's not how she wanted to lose it. No, he was planning something special for that day, just for her. She squirmed again and buried her face in her pillow, moaning out a name... his name. And Gajeel was in trouble. He groaned and buried his face in her neck, his arms tightening around her, holding her closer. Her scent engulfed him and he swallowed thickly. Mavis, the things this woman did to him, without even knowing.

The sounds Levy was making changed. She whimpered and stopped squirming so much, whining softly as if she was denied her release in her dream. Or maybe, Gajeel pondered, she just didn't know what it felt like. She'd admitted to him before that she's never really experimented with herself, and she found herself too embarrassed to really try. She probably didn't know what an orgasm even felt like, which meant she couldn't experience it in her dream. Gajeel groaned as he was filled with the need to give her that release. He debated with himself on what to do. But then he grinned as he realized... he could easily make her cum without taking her virginity. One way or another, she would be crying out his name as she came for him. Whether it be dream him or the real him. He needed to hear it.

 ********************************************** Limey Goodness*****************************************************

It started with a kiss to her neck, so soft that she likely didn't even feel it. He kept kissing her neck, giving light nips here and there as he enjoyed the taste of her skin. Levy let out a breathless moan as she tilted her head to give him more access. He grinned. Even in her sleep she responded to him. He started to run his hands along her body, up and down her sides, sensually squeezing her thighs as he continued kissing and nipping at her neck. His hands stayed above her clothes, but she really wasn't wearing much. Just a tank top and short shorts. Mavis, he loved the feel of her thighs, so soft and smooth. Levy gave a pleased mewl as he sucked on her neck. There would be a mark, he knew, but he didn't care. If she got mad at him for it, so be it, but right now he wanted her to feel pleasure, and he knew for a fact that her neck was a hot spot for her.

Her movements increased along with her breathing. He let out a groan as her rear rubbed against his crotch. He'd forgotten how aroused he was, having been focusing on her pleasure, but the way she was moving made it impossible for him to forget how hard he was. He held her tighter, trying to still her movements, but this resulted in her finally waking up. He watched as her eyes fluttered open, and smirked when she gasped and tilted her head back as he sucked at her neck again. He felt her give in to the sensation, relaxing against him and leaning her head back to give him more access to her neck.

"G-Gajeel..." the way she moaned out his voice made him groan yet again. His hands resumed their wandering, this time slipping beneath her tank top to feel her wonderfully soft skin. He paused at the base of her breasts, his thumbs running slowly against the crease where her breasts met her ribs, as if teasing her with the idea of him going further. When she made no protest and remained relaxed and mewling against him, he brought his hands up and cupped them. This was the first time she'd let him touch her without clothes in the way, and he marveled at how perfect her breasts were. Small, compare to other women, yes. But in his hands they fit perfectly, as if they were made for his hands.

He ran his thumbs over her pert nipples, grinning at her sharp intake of breath and the way she arched her back, pushing her breasts further into his hands. She mewled beautifully for him as he teased and pulled at her nipples, keeping up with his administrations to her neck. Eventually one of his hands wandered from her breasts, sliding sensually over her stomach to gently tug at the edge of her shorts. He kissed up her neck to her ear.

"Can I, Lev?" he whispered hotly against her ear, giving another light tug at her shorts for emphasis. She tensed slightly and hesitated. "I'll stop the instant you tell me to." he swore to her. She hesitated another second before giving a small nod. She trusted him, knew he would keep his word. And she knew he would never hurt her. So she let him continue. He grinned against her ear before giving it a small nip. Then he kissed a hot trail back down to her neck, teasing her breasts with his other hand as he went. He waited until she was relaxed and moaning again before expertly unbuttoning her shorts and slipping his hand beneath them and her panties. She tensed again as he reached the place no man has ever gone before. And then he slid a finger into her folds, finding her pleasure button with expert precision, and Levy couldn't hold back the strangled cry that escaped her lips.

Levy couldn't think, couldn't breathe. Mavis, oh Mavis, she had no idea she could feel this way. This certainly wasn't what she expected when she woke up. She knew she'd had a rather wet dream about Gajeel. She'd had them before, though never quite so vivid. It was almost as if he was really there, and she could swear she felt his lips and teeth on her neck. And then he held her a bit too tight, and she was pulled from her dream, only to find that Gajeel really was assaulting her neck with kisses and bites, and Mavis did it feel good. So she let him lavish her neck for a while, simply enjoying the sensations. It wasn't the first time he'd done something like this, though it was the first time he'd done it while she was having a wet dream. She flushed as she felt something quite hard pressing against her rear, but she couldn't find it in her to stop him. Oh, she just wanted these sensations to never end.

And then his hands slid beneath her shirt, so warm and strong and rough. He caressed her sensually, teasing her with the idea of him moving to her breasts. And then he did finally move up to her breasts, where he began to play with her nipples, and she gasped at the wonderful torturous feelings he made her feel. Oh, she was putty in his hands. He could do whatever he wanted as long as these sensations never stopped. And now his hand was caressing her in a place no man had ever been, and he was making her feel so hot. His finger swirled around her clit, pressing against it, rubbing her in every right way. She clutched at the arm that was still teasing her nipple under her shirt, his name spilling from her lips in a desperate cry. Oh, she needed... something. She didn't know what it was that she needed, but she knew Gajeel knew.

His thumb continued rubbing and circling her button, but his fingers slid further into her folds. Gajeel groaned against her neck before pressing his lips against her ear. "Fuck, Levy, you're so wet." he whispered hotly into her ear. She didn't know why, but his voice alone made her shudder wonderfully. She gave a soft cry as his finger slid against her untouched entrance, rubbing at it sensually. All the while his thumb kept rubbing at her clit. Gajeel nipped at her ear and pulled at her nipple. Oh, Mavis, it was all just too much. Levy was panting now, with a death grip on his arm as she arched against him. She felt something building up in her, and it scared her, but, Mavis, she didn't want it to stop! "Say my name." Gajeel growled sensually in her ear.

"G-Gajeel..." she whimpered, her lip trembling as the pressure built higher and higher.

"Louder." he ordered. "Scream my name, Levy. I want to hear you scream my name as you cum." His words were so dirty. If she'd been of sound mind in that moment she would have blushed ten shades of red. Instead, his words only added to her pleasure. She chanted his name as she arched against him, her body trembling as it silently pleaded for release. Gajeel bit her neck roughly, and that was the end for her. Something snapped within her, and Levy cried his name to the heavens. Gajeel held her close as she experienced her first orgasm, his thumb still rubbing expertly against her clit to help extend her pleasure. He felt a surge of pride at knowing that he gave her her first climax ever. She shuddered and trembled as she came down from the high, panting and whimpering softly in his arms. He turned her to face him, then wrapped both arms around her to hold her close as she regained her breath.

"Gajeel..." she panted softly, burying her face in his chest. Mavis, she didn't know what to think after all that. Her mind was fried, and her body still trembled with aftershocks of her pleasure. All she knew was she wanted to stay in his arms forever. She snuggled against him and then blushed as she realized she could still feel his erection, this time pressed against her stomach. The only barrier was his boxers, and she could feel the heat coming off of it as he held her close against him. Gajeel gently pulled her face from his chest, cupping her face as he leaned down and kissed her deeply.

 *************************************It's safe now XD**************************************

"I fuckin love you, Levy." he whispered against her lips when she pulled away for air. "And that was damn hot. You're so beautiful when you're screamin my name." He grinned as her blush deepened and she tried to hide her face in his chest again. "Oi, don't go hiding now." He rolled her over onto her back and leaned over her with a grin. "I mean it, Lev. You're beautiful, and all mine." He kissed her again, softer this time, and she melted against him... until he accidentally poked her with mini-Gajeel, which wasn't so mini, and she blushed yet again. He chuckled and stood up from the bed, not bothering to hide his problem as he stared down at her with a smirk.

"Wanna join me in the shower, shrimp? Gihi." He laughed as her face turned ten shades of red at the thought. But she didn't say no right away like she usually would. She even thought about it for a moment, but decided she would have a permanent blush after that. So she slowly shook her head. Gajeel just shook his head with a grin. "Alright. Get some more sleep, then. Sunrise ain't for another hour." He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her he turned and went into the bathroom for a nice cold shower.

Levy was still awake when he returned, dressed in his usual suit, though his hair was still down and slightly damp. He smirked at Levy, who was now sitting up in bed, cuddling his pillow close to her chest. He walked over to her and sat on the bed beside her, then pulled her onto his lap with a deep kiss. He grinned against her lips when she let out a soft mewl. He sat back after a moment and just looked at her. She looked thoroughly ravaged. Her hair was a mess, her clothes were awry, and she was blushing prettily for him. Her lips were kiss-swollen and she had kiss and bite marks all over her neck. Mavis, she was gorgeous.

"Are you leaving again?" Levy mumbled quietly, noticing his suit.

"Not for a little bit. But I've got a meeting today." Gajeel told her. "Gonna take care of an infestation." She nodded, knowing what he was talking about. They were going to talk about the rat in the family and Phantom Lord, both of which were pests. "I want you to stay in the mansion today, Lev. Don't go outside, and don't go anywhere without Gray or Natsu."

"Even if I stay inside?" she asked. He nodded curtly.

"I don't even want you to go near windows, Levy. Not til we find the rat." he warned her firmly, suddenly thankful that his bedroom had no windows to speak of.

"It's really that dangerous?" her eyes widened in fear. She wasn't stupid. She knew why he would tell her to avoid windows. A sniper couldn't get her if they couldn't see her. Gajeel took her face in his hands and looked her in the eye.

"Levy, I'm not trying to scare you, but it's gotten much more dangerous since yesterday." he explained calmly, rubbing his thumbs against her cheeks as she looked up at him. "I'm not going to take any chances. Not with you. So, please, just do as I ask. No windows, stay with the guards, and don't talk to anyone you don't know. Me, my old man, and your guards are the only ones you can trust." Levy swallowed thickly and nodded. "I would really prefer it if you stayed in here. I've got books you can read, and the guys can get you food if you get hungry."

"I... you really think it's best?" Levy tried not to pout. She'd only been in this mansion a handful of times, and she'd wanted to explore it a bit. But, with it being so dangerous...

"I do." Gajeel nodded with a frown. "I don't like it any more than you do. I don't want you to feel like yer trapped here, shrimp, or like yer a prisoner." he pressed his forehead against hers with a sigh. "But I can't lose you." Levy felt her heart melt a little. He was really worried about her, and truly wanted to keep her safe. How could she deny him this, if it would make him feel better?

"I'll stay in here." she told him quietly, earning a small smile from her boyfriend. He kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Thank you." Then he smirked. "So, want to talk about what happened this morning?" He grinned as her blush promptly returned. But she powered through it to pout.

"You tell me. I recall being molested in my sleep." she crossed her arms with that adorable pout.

"Oh? I remember a certain shrimp having naughty dreams about me." Gajeel chuckled, moving her so she was straddling his lap. She blushed fiercely upon feeling something pressing against her core. His suit pants hid it well, but he was still quite hard. "And that shrimp called out to me in her dream, begging me for release." He whispered hotly against her ear as he held her firmly in place. "And, when dream me couldn't do it, the real me had to take over." He bit at her neck, eliciting a shiver from his tiny girlfriend. Then he sucked at her sensitive skin, waiting until she gave him a pretty moan before he pulled back and gave her a cocky grin. "Any of that ring a bell, or do I have to remind you again?"

"I..." Levy was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. Gajeel scowled as Levy scurried off his lap. He stood and went to the door, finding Gray.

"Sorry to disturb you, but the boss wants to see you asap." Gray scratched the back of his head. He'd caught a glance at Levy's state of dress, and it wasn't hard to piece together what was going on. Hell, he could see the marks on her neck from here, and he wasn't even really looking at her. He felt bad for interrupting a private moment, but it couldn't be helped.

"Fine. Give me a minute." Gajeel sighed, closing the door again. He turned around and found a blushing Levy standing not far behind him.

"U-um... I... I liked... whatever it was that happened this morning." she admitted quietly, hoping Gray wouldn't hear her. Gajeel smirked at this and pulled her into his arms. She returned his embrace and buried her face in his chest.

"Knew you would." He chuckled softly. "We'll have to do it again."

"P-please be safe, Gajeel. I don't want to lose you, either." Levy leaned heavily against him, hugging him as hard as she could. "I love you."

"I love you, too, my shrimp." Gajeel kissed her temple. "I'll be back before dinner." One more kiss and then he released her. He felt guilty for the hints of tears in her eyes, but he couldn't keep his father waiting any longer. A kiss to her forehead, and then he was gone. Off to deal with an infestation.

* * *

Wow, what luck for you guys, my lovely readers! I somehow managed to find time to update again! AND it's a long chapter. AND it's got LIME! Sweet, smexy Lime. Not quite a full lemon, but damn that was some hot action. Being woken up to neck kisses is really nice *sighs wistfully*

Anyways! Tell me what you guys think! I love, love, love reviews, so please, comment to your heart's desire! I want to hit 200 comments soon!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	20. Discoveries

**Chapter 20**

"Sit." Metallicana ordered Gajeel the instant he stepped into his father's office. Gajeel raised an eyebrow but obeyed nonetheless. He gave a nod of acknowledgement to Makarov, who was also sitting in a chair. He looked less than pleased, which was an odd sight for Gajeel. The little old man was usually cheery on a good day, serious on a bad. He'd never seen the man scowl like he was doing right now.

"Something happen?" Gajeel questioned. Something had to have happened, for the meeting to be move up this early. He even had to leave Levy much earlier than he was planning, and he still felt guilty about making her worry.

"Yes. Something happened." Makarov sounded angry as he spat the words out. Gajeel looked at him in confusion before raising an eyebrow to his father, who sighed heavily, crossing his arms.

"We found the rat, and his accomplices." Metallicana scowled. "But they got away before we could take care of them."

"What?" Gajeel scowled now, standing up in his anger. "Who? Give me names. Now." He demanded.

"It's Laxus." Makarov spat, shocking Gajeel into silence. Laxus? He was the rat?! "My own grandson... he's the traitor." He deflated at that, and Gajeel honestly felt bad for the old man. His grandson had betrayed him and the family. That couldn't be easy to deal with. He felt the need to comfort the old man, but he had no idea what to do. So he just sat down, instead, waiting for the details. "He slipped up last night. Didn't make sure he wasn't being spied on. I heard him on the phone with Phantom Lord, said he was going to send them more money, but they needed to take care of their end of the deal first. I can only assume he was talking about assassinating you." Makarov let out a heavy sigh. "I... confronted him. I just... couldn't believe it. But he ran. Dropped his phone, too. I went through his contacts... I know it's him."

"But why would he turn traitor?" Gajeel frowned deeply. He didn't understand it. What did he have to gain?

"If he had succeeded in killing you, and not gotten caught..." Metallicana spoke up now. "He would have been next in line to become Don."

"What?" This shocked Gajeel. "But, wouldn't that fall to Makarov, if I was out of the picture?"

"I'm an old man. He would have to endure only a few short years with me." Makarov said grimly. "That's if he didn't straight up murder me, as well."

"Even so, pops has a lot of life left in him." Gajeel pointed out. "And he's got too many eyes on him at all times. There's no way he could be assassinated without everyone knowing who did it." Indeed, Metallicana had constant guard around him, every second of the day. He didn't sneeze or take a shit without at least ten people knowing about it. And all his guards were hand-picked by the don, himself, and he made sure they were loyal to him and him only. Nobody could touch him.

"If there was an all-out war with Phantom Lord, I would be forced to reduce my guard, or even participate in the war, myself." the boss commented. "Laxus was likely banking on Phantom Lord going to war with us, and my inevitable death from that war. With you out of the way after that, and if he assassinated Makarov, he would be Don within the year." Gajeel scowled as he stared at the floor, deep in though. Why did it have to be Laxus? They grew up together, were even partners on a lot of missions. He never thought Laxus to be one to want to be Don. But maybe something had changed? He hadn't seen him much in the past few years, as Gajeel was going on more solo missions and being groomed to be the next Don.

"That still doesn't explain why he's targeting Levy." Gajeel growled as that thought crossed his mind. He could understand killing him off, but Levy had nothing to do with this power play. True, he could use her against him as leverage, but he had the feeling that Phantom Lord's intentions were only to kill her, not use her.

"That's... probably for a different reason." Metallicana let out a heavy sigh as he sat down in his office chair. "I did some digging on her before you introduced her to me."

"Yea, I know." Gajeel nodded. His father did that with everyone.

"Well, I haven't told you everything I found out about her." Metallicana locked eyes with his son, his pitch black eyes boring into him. "Or, more specifically, her parents." Gajeel raised a brow at this and leaned forward, ready to listen to every word his father had to say.

"Tell me."

* * *

Levy blushed as she looked at her neck in the mirror. More specifically, at all the hickeys and bite marks that marred her normally flawless skin. Mavis, there were so many. She touched a particularly large one lightly, and felt herself shiver as she remembered Gajeel's lips on her neck, biting and sucking as his fingers... she flushed ten shades of red at the path her mind was taking.

Mavis, she never knew... never knew something could feel so wonderful. And she knew now, and she knew that wasn't even close to what it would be like when they... they... oh, she couldn't even think it without blushing. What was wrong with her? _Nothing_ , her mind whispered, _you're simply a virgin_. Until she... did it... and finally knew what it was like... it was understandable that she would be embarrassed and... nervous.

Nervous. That word struck something with her. She was... nervous. Not scared? Not scared. Her eyes widened at this realization. She wasn't scared anymore, just nervous. Mavis, she'd been scared this whole time. Scared that it would hurt. She was... scared that Gajeel would toss her aside once he got in her pants. But... she knew he would never do that. Now she knew. And... pain was fleeting. If a little bit of pain would lead to pleasure even close to what she felt that morning... wasn't it worth it? Just remembering that morning, she shivered again, feeling lingering pleasure course through her.

And then she was back to blushing. She sat down on the edge of the bathtub with a defeated whimper.

"What do I do?"

"What troubles you, my lady?" a deep, unfamiliar voice startled her. With a jolt, she looked up to the bathroom door, where a very tall, very muscular black man blocked the entrance. He wore green cargo pants and a black tank top, and she noticed a large red dagger at his hip. He was bald, but had a thick white beard and mustache, showing his age, and there was a thick, obvious scar around his right eye. His hazel eyes locked with hers, and she felt like he was piercing into her soul. There was silence for all of a second as they looked at each other.

And then Levy screamed.

"Don't panic, my lady, I'm not-" he was cut off as he was tackled by a shouting Natsu, who had burst into the room upon hearing Levy scream. Everything seemed to happen at once after that. Levy hid in the bathtub, trying to distance herself as much as possible from the intruder. Gray showed up and helped Natsu subdue the intruder. Gajeel burst into the room, having apparently been returning from his meeting, saw that the intruder was immobilized, and surprisingly not fighting, and then hurried to Levy. He grabbed her roughly and carried her out of the bathroom and then out of the room entirely.

Levy suddenly found herself in the don's office, her feet once more on the floor, with Gajeel holding her close to him, his arms squeezing her just a bit too tight. Don Metallicana was demanding answers, which Gajeel was supplying to the best of his ability. Levy buried her face in his chest, feeling herself start to shake as she realized what had happened. Somehow, someone had slipped past both Natsu and Gray, plus all the guards in the mansion, and had gotten within striking distance of Levy. She could have been killed just now, and that terrified her.

"Levy, oi... you're okay. Calm down." Gajeel soothed, and she felt him rubbing her back gently. He sat down in a chair and pulled her into his lap as he tried to calm her down. "I know you're scared, but we need to know what happened." She took a few shaky breaths, trying to calm herself, and then she nodded.

"I-I was in the bathroom, and I sat down on the edge of the tub. T-then I heard someone speak, a-and that man was there, and I got scared and screamed, and Natsu came in and tackled him." she told Gajeel and Metallicana. That's all she knew. Everything after that, she knew Gajeel had seen.

"Boss." Gray stuck his head in the office, looking between both the don and the don's son. "We got him in a cell." The Don stood up at this, looking to his son and potential daughter-in-law.

"Come, let's see what this intruder had planned." That said, he left the room. Gajeel looked at Levy, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"You okay, shrimp?" he asked softly. When she nodded, he kissed her forehead. "Are you going to be okay coming with us?"

"A-are you going to hurt him?" Levy whimpered. He shook his head. No, the intruder would not be harmed, not in her presence, at least. "I-I want to know w-why he tried to talk to me i-instead of attacking me." Gajeel nodded, understanding. He wanted to know, too. So he stood and gently set her on her feet, taking her hand in his.

"C'mon, we'd better hurry." Gajeel led her down to the mansion's basement, where there were a few holding cells that reminded her very much of a prison. They were all empty, save the one with the intruder. Metallicana, Natsu, and Gray were all standing in front of the cell already. She could see Metallicana inspecting the red dagger curiously. When the Don noticed they'd arrived, he addressed the intruder with an angry glare.

"Who are you?" He stated it as a question but it was a demand. Levy found herself thankful she'd never been on the receiving end of his anger; she would have pissed herself.

"I am not an enemy." the man in the cell answered. "My name is Lily, code name Panther. I was a loyal member of the McGarden Family, years ago before they were disbanded."

"McGarden... family?" Levy questioned in a whisper, glancing up to Gajeel. His eyes were narrowed at the man and his jaw was set in a way that told her he knew something about that. What did this have to do with her? Was it just a coincidence she had the same last name? Surely it was...

"How did you get into that room, with no windows and two guards at the door?" The don continued his questioning.

"The air vents, sir." the man spoke honestly. "You should, perhaps, make the entrances to them smaller." Metallicana hummed as if he were considering the man's advice. He was not wrong, after all. If a large man such as himself was able to get through those vents, an assassin could as well.

"What were your intentions with Levy?" Gajeel spoke up now, stepping closer so the intruder could see him. The man, Lily, looked at Gajeel, and then at Levy who was hiding slightly behind him. She looked afraid of him, Lily noticed, and he felt guilty for it. He bowed his head to her in shame.

"My deepest apologies, my lady. It was not my intention to frighten you. I came to offer you my loyalty and services, my very life, even." Lily told the group, surprising everyone except the unshakable Metallicana. "I have been searching for you for many, many years, my lady, and have only found you now because your name and the news of your return has spread around the underworld."

"My... return? I don't understand." Levy said quietly, looking to Gajeel for answers. "What's he talking about?"

"Little one," It was the don who spoke, "what do you remember of your parents? Were they often gone at work for long periods of time?"

"Yes," Levy answered warily as she looked at him. "Papa was a businessman. He went on trips a lot. And mama was a doctor, she worked long hours and had a lot of meetings." Levy was thoroughly confused. She didn't know what he was hinting at.

"They never told her?" Lily sounded shocked. Then he lowered his head in shame. "I am so sorry, I thought she knew."

"Knew what? I don't understand." Levy whimpered out in fear, feeling herself become frantic. What was going on? What wasn't she told?!

"Levy." Gajeel turned to face her, his eyes serious as he knelt to be eye level with her. Her eyes were full of fear and confusion, and he hated seeing her like this. He had not wanted her to find out this way. He was planning to sit her down and tell her in private, what he'd learned not even an hour ago. "They didn't want you to know. Your parents were the part of a mafia family." He cupped her face gently with one hand as her eyes went wide as saucers. "Levy, your parents were the leaders. You're the sole heir to the McGarden Family."

* * *

Dun, dun, DUNNNN! Oh, I'm so mean, giving you guys a cliffie! But at least you got two updates really, really fast! Plus, I finally brought out Lily!

Hehehe, there was a reason I didn't go too into detail about her parents, during that one chapter with the beach. I'm evil XD

Oh, and of course, we found out who the traitor is. I told you it was similar to the anime :P

Anyways, that's enough from me. Please, tell me what you guys think! Things are gonna be picking up here soon! hehe :D

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	21. History

**Chapter 21**

Levy stared blankly ahead of her, her chin resting on her knees as her mind went over all the information she'd been told in the past hour. Her parents... were mob bosses. Her wonderful, happy, loving parents who took her to the beach every summer for the entirety of her seven years with them... they were mafia leaders. Her father was Don Leo McGarden, and he had been one of the most feared men in the region, ruling over Oak Town, before Phantom Lord occupied it. Her mother, Liza, had been one of the top-ranking leaders, before she married Leo. Levy came into the picture not long after their marriage.

They had never told Levy about the mafia. They'd wanted her to have a normal life, and they'd gone to great lengths to do such. They even tried to keep her a secret from the other families, as much as possible. Levy grew up blissfully unaware, just like they wanted. She had a normal life... at least until they were murdered.

Murdered. That word echoed in Levy's ears constantly. Her parents didn't drown from a riptide, like she'd been told. They were murdered. By Phantom Lord.

It happened shortly after Fairy Tail pushed them out of Magnolia. Phantom Lord had nowhere to go. They set their sights on Oak Town, but Leo McGarden crushed them during their first attempt to overtake the town. His forces were too strong, and he was a powerful leader. Phantom Lord had no choice but to retreat, regrouping in a tiny town between Magnolia and Oak Town. They wintered there, licked their wounds, and did reconnaissance. When summer came, they saw their chance. Leo and Liza took their daughter to Akane Beach every summer, and this summer would be no different. A plan was made to kill the entire family... Levy included.

It was a wonder that Levy was not killed. Levy had been left in the hotel room, sleeping peacefully, and her parents decided to go on a midnight walk on the beach. They asked the innkeeper, who was a dear family friend, to keep an eye on Levy. Shortly after, the innkeeper, Porlyuscia, heard shots fired. She investigated as silently as she could, only to discover her friends had been murdered. Concerned for Levy's safety, she took the sleeping girl and ran away to the next city. This saved her life, as the inn was later burned to the ground. Phantom Lord assumed her dead along with the remaining occupants of the inn, and they confirmed this when a young girl's body was discovered at the site, burnt beyond recognition.

They never stopped to think other families were there.

Porlyuscia became Levy's guardian after that, and she kept Leo and Liza's wishes to keep Levy unaware of the secret lived they lived. Levy was told her parents went for a midnight swim, and got pulled under by riptides. Porlyuscia took her to Magnolia and, with Don Metallicana's help, had her true identity erased. She became Grandeeny, and that was the name Levy knew her by as she was raised by the kind but odd older woman.

And that's how Levy came to be here. Blissfully unaware that she'd had anything but a normal life up to the point where she'd met Gajeel. She went through school, moved off to med-school, came back to care for Grandeeny until her final days... and then she just stayed in Magnolia. She had nowhere she wanted to go, she had a job, had responsibilities. So she stayed in Magnolia. She met Gajeel. Had she not saved him, perhaps she would have never been discovered. Phantom Lord wouldn't have gone into her apartment to set it ablaze. Wouldn't have found her pictures of her parents. Wouldn't have put two and two together. But she did, and they had... and she couldn't say she regretted it. If she regretted it, that meant she regretted having found the love of her life. And she didn't.

She would never regret it, til the day she died.

"Lev." Gajeel walked into the office, finding her in the same place he left her after telling her everything he knew. She was sitting on the couch in Metallicana's office. The office was the safest place for her right now, seeing as the bedroom was apparently easily broken into. Some of the don's guards were assigned to guard Levy in secret, and they were doing a good job seeing as even Gajeel couldn't tell where they were. He knew they were there, though, and that put him at ease. "You okay, Levy?" he knew she had a lot to process right now.

"I... it's a lot to take in but..." Levy trailed off, biting her lip for a long moment. She looked up at Gajeel with nervous eyes. "I... it doesn't change anything with... us... right?"

"Lev," he sighed softly and sat down on the couch next to her, pulling her into his arms for a strong embrace. "Not a thing." He swore to her. "Who your parents were has nothing to do with who you are now. You're still the woman I love. You're still my shrimp." He kissed her temple as she relaxed against him. "All this information means is that we know why Phantom Lord is targeting you. That's all I'm concerned with. I want to keep you safe, shrimp, and now that I know why they want you, I can protect you better." She said nothing, just relaxed in his arms, enjoying the silent comfort he offered. They were silent for a good while before she spoke again.

"What about that man? Lily? What's going to happen with him?"

"I don't know yet." Gajeel admitted. "He didn't try to hurt you, and he didn't fight back when we apprehended him. But he did sneak into the mansion."

"He said he wanted to offer his loyalty."

"Un. He's still saying that. Even when we told him he'd have to be part of our family to even be allowed near you. He said he would do what was required s'long as he can protect 'his lady.'" Gajeel scoffed a bit at that. He didn't know if he liked Lily calling her his lady. But he had to admire the man. He had guts, determination, and spirit. If he wasn't lying, if he really just wanted to protect Levy like he said, Gajeel wouldn't mind so much. He needed all the help he could get, if he was going to keep Levy safe, like he promised. Gajeel had the feeling the guy was telling the truth, too. He wondered, just as much as Levy wondered, what his father's decision would be for Lily.

* * *

Wow, 3 chapters in one day? I'm on a roll. Unfortunately, that's all for today, and probably for the coming week. Two papers, three tests, and a speech... yikes. Not fun for me, and I'm sorry for the inevitable delay in updates.

OMG the amount of reviews I got after posting 20 was insane! WOW THANKS GUYS THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!

I'm like dying of happiness right now.

Once again, please tell me what you think. Just a short little chapter full of explanations. Hope it made sense hehe!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	22. Long Day

**Chapter 22**

Levy stood awkwardly in the middle of the parlor, staring down at the man that was kneeling before her. Even on his knees, the man was taller than her, just slightly. She looked up at Gajeel, who was at her side, silently asking what she should do. But he was no help as he merely stared at the man on the ground impassively. She glanced at Don Metallicana, who was leaning against a nearby wall, observing. It was her decision, he'd told her, on Lily's fate. He was a loyal member, and the last member, of the McGarden family aside from her... the heir. He deemed Lily 'safe enough' to release from the cell, but his fate was still to be decided.

"I... I don't know what to do." She finally admitted aloud. Lily looked up at her and gave her a reassuring smile.

"My lady, you do not have to decide right away. I will gladly return to my cell until you decide." He told her, which made her stare at him in shock.

"Why would you do that?" she asked him with wide eyes. "Why are you so loyal to me when you don't even know me?"

"Ah, but I do know you, my lady." Lily smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. "And you know me, as well. You have just forgotten."

"I don't... understand."

"You were... four, I believe." he cocked his head and scratched his beard as he thought about it. "I had come on hard times. I was homeless, penniless, and starving. I hated the world, hated my fate, and just wanted to die. I was on my last leg when you found me." He shook his head at the memories of that hard time in his life.

"You found me on a rainy day, in an alley near your home. You gave me a kiwi. It was the first food I'd had in a week. And thenyou ran away, only to return with your mother and father. Leo and Liza, they were so kind to me.

"They fed me, gave me a place to stay... offered me a job and the protection of their family. And you, my lady... during my stay with your family, you were constantly near me, wanting to play with dolls or have me read you a book. You were such a pure thing in a world of darkness, and you restored my faith in this world. Leo and Liza saved my body, but you saved my mind. I have been devoted to your family ever since, you in particular. I was your secret guard, any time your parents needed one. I watched you from the shadows until that summer..." he trailed off, his eyes turning sad.

"The summer my parents were murdered." Levy finished quietly, and he nodded.

"They never took guards with them on your family trips. I tried to go that summer. I had a bad feeling. But they refused." Lily closed his eyes tightly with a scowl. It was clearly a painful memory for him. "When I received the news, I hurried to where you'd last been seen. There was the body of a young girl at the inn, burnt beyond recognition, that Phantom Lord had assumed was you, my lady. But she was too big to have been you. You've always been such a tiny thing." He gave her a half smile.

"I knew you were alive, and I knew you were safe from Phantom Lord. That put me at ease. But I never stopped searching for you, and now that I've found you, I would swear my loyalty and my life to you. Please, my lady, do with me what you will. Whatever will please you."

Levy looked down at him with eyes full on sympathy. He just... wanted to protect her. He wanted to find her, and he'd been searching for her all these years. She couldn't blame him or condemn him for that, even if he'd frightened her. She looked to Gajeel again, and he met her eyes. He seemed okay with everything the man was saying, and he gave her a reassuring nod. She turned her eyes back to Lily, who was waiting patiently for her response.

"I... I want you to do whatever makes you happy, Mr. Lily." Levy finally spoke. "I don't want you to feel like you owe me anything, especially your life. But, if you would like, we could be friends?"

Lily stared at her in pure awe and Gajeel smirked at her kind nature. It's part of why he loved her so much. He was fine with her decision. Lily was clearly devoted to her and, while he was wary simply because he was still a stranger, Gajeel felt like he could come to trust the man. Don Metallicana watched the scene from across the room, seemingly impassive, but Gajeel also caught the hint of a smirk on his father's face. Lily just continued to stare at the petite woman in awe until she fidgeted nervously. Then he smiled and stood.

"Well then, my lady, it would please me to be your friend and guard, if you and your husband will allow it." He bowed to her. Levy's face turned ten shades of red and Gajeel burst into laughter. He pulled an thoroughly embarrassed Levy into his arms as his laughter turned into a chuckle, hooking a finger under her chin so she would look up at him.

"Gihihihi. Guess we should tie the knot, shrimp, so I can 'allow' him to guard ya." he winked at his quite flustered girl, who just groaned in embarrassment and buried her face in his chest. Lily looked at them with wide eyes.

"You are not yet married? My sincerest apologies. I had assumed... well, er, I saw all the marks on her neck and..." Lily scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. Levy just wished she could hide under a rock, though she powered through her embarrassment enough to smack Gajeel on his chest.

"No more marks." she whined, her voice muffled by his chest. Gajeel just gave another hearty laugh and shook his head. He turned to Lily as his laughter died down, grinning at the older man who was looking a bit sheepish.

"You seem alright. If you're willing to work with someone watching you, I'll let ya guard her while I'm working." Gajeel offered Lily, who looked at him with wide eyes.

"Of course. Anything, to be able to protect her." he agreed quickly.

"Alright. Oi, Salamander!" Gajeel gave a shout, and Natsu hurried into the room. "Show him around. I want another guard with him at all times, and you or Gray with him when he is guarding Levy."

"No problem." Natsu gave a toothy grin, motioning for Lily to follow him. "C'mon big guy. Sorry for tackling you earlier. Name's Natsu, put her there..."

Gajeel watched them leave, then glanced at his father, who had yet to move. "This okay with you, pops?" Gajeel questioned. His father would have stopped him if he'd thought it was a bad idea, but he wanted to check anyways.

"It is sufficient. You were smart to keep an eye on him at all times." Metallicana commented. "I doubt we will have any issues with him, but it is better to be safe than sorry." He looked to Levy now, as she was peeking out from Gajeel's chest. "You did well, little one." He assured her, and Levy smiled at the praise. "Boy, take her to get settled in a safer room. It's been a long day, and we all need sleep now."

"Un." Gajeel nodded, releasing his girl only to take her hand in his. "C'mon, shrimp. I bet you want out of those clothes." He waggled his eyebrows at her, making her blush at his insinuation.

Though... he wasn't wrong. She'd been in the same tank top and short shorts since they left the beach house, and she hadn't had the chance to change this morning before Lily startled her and all this commotion happened. Between interrogating Lily, and telling Levy about her parents and her past, she'd had no time to change, and it was now going on 11 at night. She was exhausted and she really wanted a bath. So she let Gajeel lead her away from the parlor.

They walked in silence for about a minute before arriving at a room on the other side of the mansion from Gajeel's old room. As soon as the door was closed and locked behind them, Gajeel had Levy pinned against the nearest wall with a hungry kiss. Levy tensed at first, startled by the sudden kiss, but then she relaxed, kissing him back. They stayed that way for a good while, simply kissing. It was Gajeel who pulled away first, bringing a hand up to caress her cheek.

"Sorry, shrimp. I just really needed to kiss you." he breathed, his face still so close to hers that his lips brushed against hers when he talked. "Today has been one hell of a long day." He wasn't going to admit that being called her husband stirred something in him, not yet anyways. So he kissed her again, softer this time. This time, when he pulled away, he let her go. He nodded towards the bathroom with his head. "Go take a nice, long bath, shrimp. You deserve it after today. I'll be back with some clean clothes for you." He kissed her temple and left the room without another word. Levy just watched him leave, confused but too tired to really care. With a soft sigh she headed to the bathroom. Mavis, it had been a long day.

* * *

Hello, my friends! I am glad I was able to update, but sorry for the wait. I've been horribly sick and busy. I still don't know when my next update will be, what with finals on the way, so we are both going to be surprised at my next updates lol.

Just some background info from Lily's perspective. Hope it makes sense. I tried, really I did. Also, I hear Lily's voice in the same voice as the English dub in the anime, if that helps anyone.

Please, tell me what you think.

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	23. Arch-3 Preparations

**Chapter 23**

The meeting room was silent. The council sat there in pure silence, taking in the information they'd received with grim faces. Laxus was a traitor. Makarov kept his head lowered, too ashamed of his family's betrayal to look at anyone. Gajeel leaned against the wall behind his father, scowling as he, too, felt betrayed in the worst of ways. Metallicana inhaled deeply on his cigar as he waited for the rest of the men and women to come to terms with everything.

"So where do we go from here?" One of the council members spoke up. Metallicana exhaled, blowing smoke out of his nose as he locked eyes with each councilor.

"What do we do to traitors?" he asked rhetorically, which caused a rumble of murmurs to go through the room until he raised his hand to silence them. "Igneel, care to remind them what our laws are?" He asked of one of the eldest councilors. Igneel huffed a bit but obliged.

"Traitors are always punished by death. No exceptions." he reminded the group. "Even if it had been my brat, I would still follow the law."

"And what does Makarov think?" Gildarts questioned, having been silent the entire time. "This is his grandson. Surely he has some input." All eyes turned to a brooding Makarov, and Gajeel felt pity for the old man, being put on the spot like that.

"I am and have always been a loyal member of Fairy Tail. This is my home, and this is my family. I..." Makarov swallowed as if holding back tears. "I cannot ever look the other way on something like this, especially when the safety of my family is put on the line. Laxus has betrayed us and is... no longer a part of any family of mine." All was silent after his emotional speech, all eyes remained on the tearful Makarov. It wasn't until Metallicana let out another puff of smoke that the silence was broken.

"We have the law and we have Makarov's testimony. You all know what must be done." Metallicana spoke, his voice deep and full of authority. "It is never easy, having one of our own betray us, but we must do what is best for the family. I am ordering a search and destroy mission. Laxus will be found and dealt with, and then we will focus on Phantom Lord." The council could only voice their agreement, as there was really no grounds to object. Makarov simply sank further into his misery, and Gajeel made a mental note to introduce him to Levy. The old guy needed a bit of brightness in his life, especially after all this mess. "You are dismissed."

A few minutes later found Gajeel in his old man's office, along with Natsu. Metallicana stared at them for a few moments before letting out another sigh. "I've chosen you two to go after Laxus. We've tracked him to a warehouse on the outskirts of town. Apparently Phantom Lord would not take him in, seeing as he's been cut off from his funds."

"Is he by himself?" Natsu questioned. "Or does he have friends?"

"Scouts report that he's taken a hostage. Some girl he grabbed off the street. She's likely being used as insurance against police. Either that or ransom." Metallicana explained, showing them a picture of the warehouse and then a picture of Laxus standing next to a young woman with white hair. "If she sees you, you know our protocols. You, especially." He stared at his son sternly. Gajeel nodded. There'd been many instances like this, where a civilian saw him while he was working. They had two options. Join Fairy Tail, or die. Most chose the latter. There were a few that joined, but not many.

"When do we leave?" Gajeel asked.

"Two hours. Go prepare and say your goodbyes." Metallicana said, leaning back in his chair. "I want Laxus brought here alive, if possible. If not, make him suffer."

"Yes, boss." Natsu nodded. Gajeel just grunted in acknowledgement, standing up to leave.

"And boy." the don called as Gajeel reached the door. "Don't go leaving me without an heir." Gajeel just smirked and kept walking. That was the closest to a 'be careful' as he was going to get.

* * *

Gajeel was surprised to find that Levy wasn't in their room. Curious, he went searching for her. She was in the first place he checked, the kitchen. She and Lily were sitting at the counter on stools, chatting together. A bowl of sliced kiwis was between them, which they were sharing. Gray was at the stove, cooking something that smelled pretty good. Nobody noticed him when he walked in, which was actually a really bad thing. Someone could have easily killed or grabbed Levy this way. So Gajeel decided to prove his point.

As quietly as he could, he walked further into the kitchen. Levy giggled at some comment Gray made, Lily burst out laughing at it, and that's when Gajeel attacked. He grabbed her around the waist, a hand coming up to cover her mouth, and pulled her completely out of the kitchen before anyone had the chance to react. Levy started struggling rather quickly, but she stopped the instant she noticed the studs and scars on her captor's arm, which she knew only belonged to one man. Lily came bursting out of the kitchen, his dagger in hand, and Gray was quick to follow. They both had murder in their eyes, and they both stopped dead in their tracks at seeing just who had grabbed Levy.

Gajeel stood in the middle of the hall with his prize, who was no longer fighting but still trying to free her mouth from his hand. He smirked and held her firmly in place, silently telling her to be a good little hostage for him. Then he scowled at the two dumbfounded men. "I really expected more from you two. I could have been an assassin, and then what would have happened, hm?" They both immediately looked repentant and ashamed. "Never let your guard down, especially not around your charges."

"My deepest apologies. There is no excuse for this." Lily seemed the most distraught over this. Levy finally wiggled her mouth free and turned to pout at Gajeel.

"Gajeel, don't be so mean. We were just having a little bit of fun."

"He's not being mean, Levy. He's right." Gray told her, earning her attention. "We want to be your friends, yes, but most importantly we are supposed to be your guards. Gajeel could have been anyone, just now. If he'd been actually trying to abduct you, you'd be in some van right now, on your way to Mavis-knows-where." Her eyes widened at this and she looked down at the floor. They were right.

"I didn't want to scare ya, Lev. I just wanted to teach them a lesson." Gajeel sighed softly as he looked down at his girlfriend. "But you need to understand the importance of it, too. So, I'm really gonna kidnap ya." He smirked a bit and hoisted her over his shoulder.

"G-Gajeel, what-"

"Gihi, calm down, shrimp. I just need to talk to ya for a little bit." Gajeel chuckled as he carried her off, leaving a dumbfounded Gray and a confused Lily staring after them.

* * *

"Oof! Gajeel!" Levy pouted as she was gently dropped onto their bed. She frowned up at her grinning boyfriend, who was rather pleased with himself. Of course he would be, he got to grab her ass the entire way back to their room.

"Say my name again. Louder." He grinned suggestively, making her blush as memories of the other morning filled her head. She pouted and looked away in embarrassment.

"W-what did you need to talk about?"

"Right to business, eh?" Gajeel chuckled as he sat down on the bed next to her. "Listen, shrimp. I'm going to be gone for a day or two." This got her attention and she looked at him with worried eyes. "Lucy is probably going to come here and share a room with you."

"Is she bringing Kasai?" Levy perked up a bit.

"Yea." Gajeel nodded. "Levy, I need you to stay safe for me. Don't go near windows, don't distract Gray or Lily."

"O-okay. Is something going to happen?" Levy asked worriedly.

"Nothing should happen, but I want to make sure you're safe while I'm gone. I can't protect you if I'm not here." He sighed softly. He reached into a pocket on the inside of his suit and pulled out an object that looked like a bulky pistol. Levy looked at it curiously, it didn't look like any gun she'd ever seen. "It's a taser gun, Lev. I know real guns still scare you, but I still want you to have some way to protect yourself." Gajeel told her as he held the weapon out to her. "It's got one shot, but it'll put a man my size on the ground. Aim for the chest or back. Shouldn't kill them, but should be enough to disable them until help arrives."

"Gajeel... that's... actually sweet of you." Levy said with awe. He put a lot of thought into making it so that she could protect herself without having to potentially kill anyone. Gajeel smiled at her.

"I told ya, shrimp. If I get my way, you won't ever have to be in a position where you would kill someone. That's my job." He sighed and shook his head. "I just feel on edge when I have to leave you on your own. If you have this, it will put my mind at ease, at least a little bit. Promise me you'll keep this on you?"

"I promise." Levy nodded, sitting up and planting a light kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Gajeel." He grinned and caught her face in his hands, giving her a deep kiss that made her blush again. He chuckled at her cute blush, and then stood up from the bed.

"I have to go, Levy. Stay safe for me." His voice was so sincere that Levy could only nod and look at him with soft eyes. He really cared for her, really wanted to keep her safe. Gajeel leaned down and placed a kiss on her temple. "Love you, shrimp."

"I love you, too, Gajeel." Levy smiled softly at him. He smiled back, then walked away. He frowned deeply as he left the room, his mind turning to his job. How on earth was he going to kill his childhood friend? He was going to have to, or else Levy would continue to be in danger. He steeled his resolve. Laxus would die a thousand times over if it meant Levy would stay safe. And then... then he would go after Phantom Lord. Nobody, and he meant nobody, targets his girl and lives to tell the tale.

* * *

I'm sorry it's been a while, guys! Also sorry that this chapter seemed a little bit jumpy or scattered. Idk I just needed to use this to move the story along. Don't hate me D:.

Anyways, please tell me what you think. And wish me well for finals! Gosh, I'm freaking out about them!

Thanks for reading.

Ja, Matta!

-Everythingnerd12


	24. One Down

**Chapter 24**

Gajeel drew his gun, checking to make sure it was loaded. He glanced over to where Natsu was crouching behind a cluster of large shipment boxes, his gun also drawn. Then he double checked his surroundings. Laxus could have chosen a better place to hide. There were no security cameras, there was only one door to enter or exit out of, and there were far too many places for intruders to hide. Gajeel, at first, thought it was a trap. It was too good, for them. But then, Laxus was never a tactician. He preferred a frontal assault, much like Natsu did. Gajeel was the one with tactics and stealth training. There was more than one reason he was called Black Steel, and one of those reasons was his fondness for blending into the shadows.

Gajeel was still wary. Anything could be a trap, he knew, so he was keeping his guard up. He signaled for Natsu to move in, and the pink haired man nodded. Natsu moved up first, staying well hidden behind boxes and crates. They knew Laxus was in the center of the warehouse with his captive. They could hear the girl sobbing and begging him to stop. It didn't take much speculation to realize what Laxus was doing to the poor girl. A male groan only confirmed this. Gajeel pitied the girl, but her poor fate was not going to distract him from this mission. He hid himself in the shadows and planned to route Laxus when Natsu confronted him.

He nodded at Natsu and held up three fingers, then made a sign for zero. Natsu nodded, and Gajeel moved out. Thirty seconds. That was how long Gajeel had to get into position. He moved quickly but silently. For as large as Gajeel was, his training and experience made him an expert at stealth. Gajeel scowled as he caught glimpses of Laxus, who was heedless of any intruders as he raped his poor hostage. He also noticed dozens of beer cans, and an awful lot of drugs, around Laxus and his hostage. Gajeel got into position and counted down the remaining time. Three... two...

"Laxus!" Natsu emerged from behind a crate, his pistol aimed straight at Laxus' head. Laxus paused his raping of his hostage, and looked up with angry but not surprised eyes.

"Knew they'd send someone soon enough." He growled, standing up and zipping up his pants.

"You're coming with me, Laxus. You're gonna answer for your crimes." Natsu growled angrily. Gajeel knew the kid was furious that Laxus had stooped to raping a hostage. Those were the kinds of things Fairy Tail had put an end to when they kicked out Phantom Lord. Hell, Gajeel was upset, too, but he couldn't afford to lose his cool over it. He knew Natsu understood this, too, and he was glad to see the pyromaniac take in a deep breath to calm himself. "Are you going to come quietly or do I need to shoot something important off, first?" Natsu demanded.

"What? You're all they sent?" Laxus laughed darkly. "Woulda thought I'd be more important than a solo mission."

"Answer me, Laxus." Natsu growled angrily, cocking his gun. Laxus only laughed.

"Why should I? I'm a dead man anyways! Fairy Tail wants me dead, Phantom Lord wants me dead, the cops want me dead! No matter what, I'm dead! So go on, shoot me. See if I give a damn." Laxus laughed cruelly. Natsu wasted no time in firing, aiming for a very, very important place. Even Gajeel grinned when Laxus cried out and feel to his knees, clutching his crotch which was now bleeding profusely. But then he just started laughing again, louder this time, and he drew his own gun, aiming it at his hostage. Gajeel growled. The man was either too high, too drunk, or too crazy to give a damn about his life or anyone else's. His hostage began to scream and try to crawl away, but it was futile with her arms tied as they were.

"Laxus." Natsu growled in warning.

"I wanna shut her up. She's so annoying. Always screaming and crying." Laxus laughed, ignoring Natsu. He was about to pull the trigger when his gun was shot out of his hand. He looked around and growled angrily when he saw Gajeel come out of hiding, his gun now aimed at Laxus' head instead of his hand. "You." his voice dripped with rage. "This is your fault! You just had to find her! That little bitch was my ticket out of this city!"

"Who was?" Gajeel felt like he knew the answer, but he had to ask.

"That little McGarden bitch! Do you know how much Phantom Lord wants her?! I was gonna take her to them, they were gonna pay me and help me out of the country, I was gonna live it rich in fucking Fiji!" Laxus all but snarled as he glared at Gajeel. "But you fucking found her! Right before I was gonna grab her! Phantom Lord was furious with me!"

"So what? You set it up with them to get two bird with one stone? The hospital incident was your doing?" Gajeel growled as he started piecing things together. Laxus knew about Levy before he did. He was going to grab her and hand her over to Phantom Lord in return for money and a way out of the country. Then Gajeel stumbled across her right before Laxus was going to grab her, and he put his protection claim on her. It kept Laxus from going near her without being exposed. So he worked it out with Phantom Lord to get both Gajeel and Levy in the same place, to kill them off together. It was smart and, if it had worked, nobody would have known it was Laxus who planned it all.

"It's not my fault their leader couldn't kill a little girl and her guard dog!" Laxus shouted. "But they took it out on me! ME! Made me give them money to get on their feet again. I only did it so they would finally kill you! This is all your fault, you know!"

"Boss, he's gone crazy. Too many drugs." Natsu spat, noticing the tourniquet still around Laxus' arm. "We should put him out of his misery."

"My old man wants him alive." Gajeel said, glaring at Laxus who had been reduced to crazed laughter. As much as he wanted to kill this man, his old man's orders were clear. With a scowl, Gajeel knocked Laxus out, smacking him in the temple with the butt of his pistol. He set his sites on the hostage now.

The poor girl couldn't have been much older than Levy. She was pretty, Gajeel gave her that, but right now she was covered in cuts and bruises. She was naked from the waist down, and her thighs were bruised and covered with blood. Gajeel felt sick just looking at her, and he pittied the poor girl for getting caught up in all this. He really didn't want to silence her, but that was her choice now. So he kneeled next to the frightened woman.

"You... you saved me." the woman sniffled. "Y-you won't hurt me... will you?"

"That's entirely up to you." Gajeel frowned. Damn, did he hate some parts of his job.

"Gajeel, she's been through enough." Natsu started, feeling sympsthy for the woman. "I don't think she'll rat on us. Can't we just..."

"You know our laws, Salamander." Gajeel reminded him. "I don't like it, either, but we can't just let her go." he turned to the confused and frightened woman. "What's your name?"

"Lisanna." the woman, Lisanna, sniffled.

"Well, Lisanna, I'm sorry about your luck. I want to be able to send you home, like you want, but I can't do that. You've seen too much." Gajeel sighed, watching the fear fill her eyes. "Look, I can only give you two options, little girl. The first option is to come with us and join Fairy Tail. You don't want to know the second option."

"I... those are my only choices?" she cried. Gajeel nodded solemnly. "W-what will happen if I join? I... I've never done anything illegal in my life!"

"You won't have to do anything you might think you'll do." Natsu spoke up. "But you will have to be loyal to us or be silenced. I promise, you will have as much of a normal life as possible." Natsu hated giving these ultimatums, too. He didn't like taking away someone's freedom this way, but it was either them or the family, and the family came first.

"It's just to ensure you don't go running to the cops." Gajeel told her, silently hoping she'd agree. He watched her think about it, but she finally nodded. He let out a silent sigh oof relief. He didn't know what it was about this girl, but he didn't think he would have been able to kill her. Too small and young, like his Levy. "Good choice. Let me cut you free. You'll need to come with us."

He freed her and passed her off to Natsu, who had found her pants. Salamander led her away while Gajeel threw some ropes around Laxus' arms and legs. He hoisted the dead weight over his shoulder and left the warehouse breathing a sigh of relief.

Laxus was taken care of. Now... time to go after Phantom Lord.

-End Chapter-

Hi guys! I tried something new! This is my first time using my phone to update, so sorry if the layout is a little different. Also sorry for spelling. If you guys see a lot of spelling issues could you point them out please? I will go through and fix them if I can.

Thanks for reading and please review!

Ja, matta!

-Everythingnerd12


	25. Trust

**Chapter 25**

Gajeel stepped back and admired his handiwork. Laxus groaned from where he was tied to a chair, bruised and bloody. Gajeel had been thorough in beating the bastard to a pulp when he had attempted to escape not even an hour ago. Now the man was far too injured to move, and there were three times as many guards around his cell now. He would not escape.

Gajeel let out a heavy sigh. Even beating the shit out of Laxus hadn't satisfied him. He wanted to kill him. Slowly. But his old man refused to let him do more damage than he already had. Even now, Metallicana was standing nearby, frowning at Gajeel's excessiveness. There was no need for them to stoop to torture, he'd told Gajeel. Laxus would get what's coming to him once they get their information.

"Boy, go rest." the order from his father didn't surprise him. He was removing Gajeel from the situation so Gajeel didn't end up killing Laxus before they interrogated him. Gajeel scowled, but obeyed, storming out of the room in a huff.

Mavis, he just wanted to see Levy right now. So that's where he went. Gray stopped him from going into their bedroom.

"Er, boss, I don't think you want Levy to see what you look like right now." Gray warned. Gajeel scowled but looked himself over. Damn, he didn't know he'd gotten blood all over him. Or that he'd punched Laxus so hard and so much that he'd bloodied his own knuckles. But this wasn't going to stop him from seeing Levy.

"I'll take care of it. You're dismissed." Gajeel's tone left no room for argument, and Gray nodded and walked away. Gajeel took a moment to calm himself before knocking on the door. "Shrimp, it's me."

"Gajeel? You're back?" Gajeel gave a small smile at the happiness in her voice. It turned into a frown when he had to hold the door closed, as she'd tried to open it to see him. "Gajeel?"

"Levy, I need a big favor." Gajeel said cautiously. "Go sit on the bed and keep your eyes closed. And please don't ask why." he added when he heard her start to voice it. She was silent for a moment.

"Okay. Give me a few seconds." she relented. He heard her walk away, and he counted down ten seconds before he opened the door and peeked inside. She had done as he asked and was sitting on the bed in a thin blue night gown. Her eyes were closed tightly. He gave a small sigh of relief and walked into the room, heading straight for the bathroom.

"You can open your eyes now, shrimp. I'm gonna take a shower." he called out as he closed and locked the bathroom door. He looked in the mirror and frowned. It was worse than he thought. Blood was even on his face. He really didn't want the shrimp to see him like that. He was glad she trusted him so much.

With what had to be the hundredth sigh of the day, Gajeel stripped on hopped in the shower to wash the blood off. Luckily it had yet to dry so it wasn't caked on and it came right off. Not even five minutes later he was out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist.

Levy was waiting, staring expectantly at the door, when he came out. But he surprised her by being dressed only in a towel. She stared at him with wide eyes and an adorable blush, but she couldn't take her eyes off his chest. Gajeel grinned as he noticed her swallow thickly when her eyes drifted just a bit too low. Mavis, she was adorable.

"Take a picture, shrimp. I won't mind." he teased with a smirk, watching as her eyes widened upon the realization that she'd been staring. She flushed and looked away from him. He just shook his head in amusement and walked past her to the dresser, pulling out some clean clothes. He noticed her looking at the bathroom as if she was debating picking up his dirty clothes for him. "Don't go in there, shrimp. Just trust me, okay?"

"But what-"

"Levy. Please." he locked eyes with her. "Sometimes it's best that you don't know. This is one of those times. Just trust me."

"I trust you... I just... I want to know what's going on." she pouted, moving to sit on the bed again. She averted her eyes with a blush as Gajeel dressed, pulling on some pants and a tank top. "I know you say its better I don't know but... I mean, I'm already in too deep, aren't I? I'm even... a mafia boss' daughter." she looked down at her lap at that. "I want to be useful. I want to know what's going on."

"You were thinking about this a lot while I was gone, weren't ya?" Gajeel asked with a small sigh. He walked over to the bed and stood in front of her, towering over her. She looked up at him with a pout and nodded. Gajeel shook his head and sat down besode her, then pulled her onto his lap.

"Look, shrimp. I just don't want to scare you. I do some scary shit, and the last thing I want is to make you afraid of me."

"Gajeel, you've killed someone in front of me. And I still love you. If that didn't scare me off, I don't think anything can." Levy pointed out. Gajeel thought on that and then chuckled at his cheeky shrimp. She was right. He froze a bit when he felt her running her hands gently over his knuckles, which were scabbed over now. He forgot about those.

"I know you do bad things. I know a lot of the things you do will scare me. But just scaring me is not going to scare me away." she told him sincerely. "Because I know you'll never hurt me and I know that these hands will always protect me. I love you, Gajeel, and I trust you completely." She kissed one of his knuckles, and Gajeel's eyes softened as he look down at her.

"I don't deserve you, Levy." he breathed, taking the hand she'd been holding and bringing it up to cup her face. He kissed her sweetly, deeply, until she was clinging tightly to his tank top and panting for breath. He loved her flushed face, loved the way she looked up at him with trusting, loving eyes. "Alright."

"Alright?" she questioned breathlessly.

"I'll tell you. Whatever you wanna know, shrimp. Just... don't think less of me." he said with yet another sigh.

"I could never." she swore. Gajeel just nodded, and waited for her questions to begin. "Why didn't you want me to see you until you showered?" He sighed again, knowing that she would question that.

"I was covered in blood, Levy. I didn't want to scare you." he admitted, watching her warily as she examined his busted knuckles.

"Was it something to do with why your knuckles are like this?" she asked quietly. He just nodded, unable to look her in the eye. Thankfully she changed the subject... sort of. "Where did you go for your last job?" she was genuinely curious. She didn't know what kind of jobs the don made him do, and she'd always wondered.

"A warehouse. We caught the rat." he answered honestly without going too much into detail. "He's being interrogated right now." he frowned as he remembered what Laxus had said in the warehouse. He'd been after Levy since before he even knew her. That thought suddenly hit a cord in him, and he found himself embracing his shrimp, holding her close against his chest.

"Gajeel? What's wrong?" Levy was surprised at the sudden embrace. She saw how distraught he suddenly was, and she sat up a little and returned the embrace.

"I almost lost you." he admitted more to himself than to her. "Before I even knew you, I almost lost you."

"I don't... understand."

"The rat. He was after you all along. He found out who you were, and he was going to turn you over to Phantom Lord for a profit." Gajeel explained quietly and he rested his forehead on her shoulder. "If you hadn't found me that night... if I hadn't gotten shot... fuck, Levy, I can't imagine my life without you." he admitted as he held her close.

The next thing Levy knew she was on her back on the bed. Gajeel leaned over her, propped up so he wouldn't crush her. She blushed at the change in position, but then she met his eyes and she damn near melted. She'd never seen him look so vulnerable...

"Levy." he swallowed thickly. "Fuck, Levy, I can't... I can't lose you. I want you by my side forever, no matter what." Levy felt her cheeks redden at the admission, and she felt her heart beginning to race. Was this... was he... "Levy, I want you to marry me. Please tell me you will." It was. Gajeel was proposing!

-End Chapter-

Oh, I'm so mean, aren't I? ;P

Review review review and I might just update soon... maybe XD

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	26. Exploration

**_Last time on Guns and Roses:_**

 _The next thing Levy knew she was on her back on the bed. Gajeel leaned over her, propped up so he wouldn't crush her. She blushed at the change in position, but then she met his eyes and she damn near melted. She'd never seen him look so vulnerable..._

 _"Levy." he swallowed thickly. "Fuck, Levy, I can't... I can't lose you. I want you by my side forever, no matter what." Levy felt her cheeks redden at the admission, and she felt her heart beginning to race. Was this... was he... "Levy, I want you to marry me. Please tell me you will." It was. Gajeel was proposing!_

 **Chapter 26**

Wide, innocent, hazel eyes stared up into nervous, angular, crimson. All was silent. They could hear each others' hearts beating loudly in their chests. Levy's face was flushed, and even Gajeel's cheeks had a slight pink tinge to them. _Say something, shrimp. Anything..._ Gajeel pleaded in his mind as he stared down at the surprised woman. She just stared back with those wide, beautiful eyes. _Is this... is this a dream?_ She wondered.

"Lev?" Gajeel finally broke the silence, his voice betraying him and showing just how nervous he was. But he couldn't stand this silence. It was eating away at him, and he was beginning to fear rejection. _It was too soon, after all_ , he thought. Hell, they'd only confessed their feelings a few days ago. Five, to be exact. He was really starting to regret asking her so soon. He was just going to scare her off, he knew it! And her silence was all but proof of that.

"You really mean it?" She asked timidly, her voice just above a whisper. He really, truly... wanted her to marry him? _It's so soon_ , Levy wondered, _but it just... feels right_. Just the thought of being his wife, Mavis, that did something to her that she couldn't describe. She found herself surprised that she wasn't worrying about being a don's wife, about marrying into a dangerous lifestyle. No, she was only focused on being Gajeel's wife. She loved him so much... and Levy Redfox had a wonderful ring to it...

"Of course I mean it." Gajeel confirmed, holding his breath as he looked down at her. He didn't trust himself to say anything else without sounding pathetic. He watched her blink up at him for a moment. And then he felt her soft lips on his and slender arms around his neck. He grunted at the sudden kiss, bracing his arms on the bed as she pulled him down to her. His eyes went wide but, as she deepened the kiss, he groaned and gave in, letting her keep in control of the kiss as long as she wanted. He was still nervous. Mavis, was he nervous. A kiss wasn't a yes or a no... What would she say when she finally pulled away?

"Yes." Levy breathed, pulling away from the kiss after a while. Gajeel's eyes flew back open and went wide. _Yes?_ "Yes!" She kissed him again, pulling him back down to her. Gajeel's heart soared as he eagerly returned her kissing. _She said yes... she said YES!_

 ***Mild Lime Incoming***

Gajeel took control of the kissing, and it turned into a heavy, passionate make-out session. Levy let out a soft moan as she slid her arms around his neck. She buried her fingers in his thick black mane, marveling at its surprising softness as he all but made love to her mouth. It seemed like an eternity before they had to come up for air. Gajeel begrudgingly tore himself away from her lips, only to attack her neck with his teeth and lips. Levy let out a surprised gasp that turned into a pleased mewl as he sucked at the skin at the base of her neck.

He grinned against her flesh as she turned her head to give him better access to her neck. He obliged her silent plea to lavish her neck with attention, sucking and biting a trail up to her ear. Pulling the tender flesh of her ear between his teeth, he groaned as her tiny hands slid over his shoulders to wander down his chest. He felt her hands on him, taking in all his muscles and admiring them over his shirt. But then her hands slid closer to his pants...

"Shrimp, you're wandering into dangerous territory there." he whispered hotly against her ear as her hands ventured lower. He wondered what she was thinking. She'd never dared wander that low before. She would always blush and pull away out of embarrassment. But he looked at her face now and only saw lust in her eyes... though her face was, of course, an adorable shade of pink.

"Lev?" he questioned when she continued her path towards his pants. She unbuckled his belt and he groaned at how hot something so simple could be. He sat up a bit just to watch her, to see what she would do next. That blush of hers deepened but her hands didn't stop. She unbuttoned his pants, and Gajeel began a mental war with himself. Fuck, should he stop her? Depending on what she was planning, he didn't know if he could stay in control once she reached her destination. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her... and she did not deserve to lose her virginity to someone who couldn't control himself.

The zipper to his pants was pulled down... slowly. Gajeel cursed himself and grabbed her slender wrists, pinning them up by her head. He stared down into confused hazel eyes.

"Levy... not that I'm discouraging a little exploration but..." Gajeel was panting. Images of the things she could have been planning to do were going through his mind, and they weren't helping his situation one bit. "I need to know what yer planning... and how far you want this to go. I don't wanna hurt ya, shrimp..."

"I just... umm..." Levy flushed and looked away. "I want to... try to make you feel good, like you did with me the other day." She swallowed thickly before meeting his eyes again, and he saw pure determination in those gorgeous eyes of hers. "I just... you make me feel things I've never felt before and... I want to try new things. I'm... I'm still not ready for everything. But I want to try." Gajeel's eyes softened as he looked down at her. She wanted to try something new, did she? She wasn't ready to go all the way but... he could handle that. He took a deep breath and calmed himself.

"Alright, shrimp. Just let me... give me a second." he needed to seriously calm down first. He had to remind himself that she wasn't ready to lose her virginity, that she just wanted to explore for now. He wasn't about to deny her, but he had to make sure he wouldn't lose it and just take her. Regaining his control was tougher than he thought, but he eventually let out a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "C'mere." he pulled her up and moved with her to the center of the bed, pulling her into his lap. He hooked a finger under her chin, making her look up at him again. "You're in control, Lev. What do you want to do? What do you want me to do?"

"I... want to make you feel good." she flushed. "But I don't know what to do." She fidgeted a bit, trying not to meet his eyes. She'd lost her bravado from earlier, but she wasn't going to back down, not after she'd said all that stuff. And she really did... want to make him feel good. Especially because she knew he was starting to struggle with going at her pace. "What... what do I do?"

"Explore, shrimp. I will tell you if something feels good or not." Gajeel smiled at her blushing face. He leaned back a bit and gestured to himself. "I'm all yours." He watched her eyes go wide and her blush deepen considerably. She moved off him slightly and sat up a bit to kiss him. They just kissed for a few minutes, Gajeel letting her keep control as she tried to relax. Eventually her nervousness died down enough for her to continue.

Nervous hands gripped his tank top and pulled. Gajeel smirked and pulled off his shirt for her, watching her with curious, amused eyes as she practically drooled over his chest. What would she do next? Those small hands of hers found rest on his chest. She let them roam over his muscles. She leaned forward and began to kiss his chest, following the path her hands took... down.

Her hands and lips were like fire, burning a hot trail down his chest and sending heat straight to his dick. Gajeel hissed as she suddenly sat up and raked her nails down his chest. She paused and looked up at him nervously. Did she hurt him?

"Shrimp, keep going. That felt good." Gajeel all but groaned. Levy's cheeks darkened again, but she returned to kissing him, this time tracing along his collarbone with those cute lips of hers. She put her hands back on his chest and lightly pushed against him. He complied and laid back on the bed, propped up only by the pillows behind him. He watched her with lust filled eyes as she settled herself on his lap, straddling him.

Seeing the determination in her eyes and the blush on her cheeks did something to him. She was so hot this way, and he was trying his hardest not to touch her back. He had to remind himself that this was her time. She wanted to explore, and he wasn't going to interrupt that.

Gajeel let out a surprised groan as Levy began to kiss and nip along his neck, her hands returning to wander over his chest. They slid down him sensually before coming to a stop at the waistband of his pants. Her lips moved away from his neck and began trailing down his chest.

He watched her intently as she moved down his body until she was kissing just below his navel. She sat up slightly to pull at his pants a bit. He got the message and slid them down to his knees, watching as she blushed furiously upon realizing he hadn't put any boxers on after his shower. Her eyes went wide and she just stared at him for a long time. _Oh, that's right. This is her first time seeing mine_ , Gajeel mused with a smirk as her eyes never left his member.

Slowly, so slowly, and with a face of pure determination... she reached out with one of her tiny hands and... poked it. Gajeel couldn't help himself. He burst out with a loud laugh. "Oh, shrimp, that was cute." he laughed, throwing his head back onto the pillows behind him. Just watching her poke him like that with such a serious expression on her face, it was too funny.

"D-don't make fun of me!" Levy pouted, crossing her arms and looking away. "I've never... never touched one before."

"Eh? But yer a doctor." Gajeel's laughter was dying down. "Don't you have to learn about this stuff?"

"I learned about it, of course. But my specialty was childbirth and the female reproductive system..." she trailed off with a blush. "B-besides, what I learned was all medical stuff not... not about... pleasure..." Gajeel smirked at her and pulled her to him to kiss her.

"Well, then, you'll just have to learn about pleasure, now won't you?" he grinned at her blush. She could only swallow and nod. Gajeel just chuckled again and laid hack once more. "Go on, shrimp. Best way to learn is hands on." he winked suggestively at her.

She blushed furiously but caught the hint. Nervously, she returned her hand to his cock and touched it lightly. And then she fully wrapped her hand around him and he groaned at the sensation. She hesitated then, unsure of what to do now. Gajeel reached down and covered her hand with his, guiding her up and down a few times until she was doing it on her own. She moved faster and he cursed.

"Fuck, Levy, just like that." he groaned out, throwing his head back onto the pillows again. He was completely at her will, and he was honestly impressed with how well she was doing, considering this was her first time giving a hand job. Or maybe it was just that it had been so long since he'd gotten any kind of action, and now he was super sensitive. Probably a mix of both.

Either way, it seemed like no time before he found his end with a loud groan. Levy let out a startled 'eep' as she found her hands covered in his fluids. She pulled away, her face flushing with embarrassment but her eyes glued to his slowly deflating member. Then she looked up into his eyes and her breath hitched as they locked eyes. Gajeel was staring at her as if he wanted to eat her, and the raw lust in his eyes sent chills down her spine.

"Shrimp, maybe you should go take a shower." his voice was rough and he was still panting from his release. "Otherwise... you won't be leaving this bed." Levy's eyes widened at his words. Not needing to be told twice, she scurried off the bed and hurried to the bathroom.

*End Lime*

Levy froze in the bathroom once the door was closed. Her eyes landed on the crumpled up clothes next to the toilet. Even from the door she could see the blood that stained his white dress shirt. She remembered her conversation with Gajeel earlier, and her promise to him.

Even though seeing the blood scared her... she wasn't going to let it affect how she saw Gajeel. She just... needed to accept that this was a part of his life and that it always would be. And she was marrying into this...

"Shit, Lev, I forgot." Gajeel burst into the bathroom, still shirtless but his pants were back on. He hurried past her and grabbed the clothes off the floor, looking quite ashamed of himself for letting her see this. He met her eyes and deflated upon seeing her look away.

"I'm... sorry." he sighed dejectedly as he brushed past her, hurrying out of the bathroom. Levy was pained at the amount of hurt in his voice. She hurried after him and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his back. He froze and waited for her to speak.

"I'm not afraid of you, Gajeel. I'm just... it's something I need to get used to, is all." Levy mumbled into his back. "I love you, Gajeel. Stuff like this... it's not going to change how I look at you."

Gajeel dropped the clothes on the floor and spun around. He embraced Levy with a strong hug, burying his face in her hair. "I don't deserve you, shrimp." he sighed into her hair. "But I'm selfish, so I'm not gonna let you go, even if I don't deserve you." He pulled away slightly and leaned down to kiss her. "Go take your shower, Levy. I'm... going to get rid of these clothes." Another kiss and he pulled away, scooping the clothes up again before walking out of the room entirely.

Levy stared after him for a while before sighing softly. She turned back to the bathroom, the idea of a shower very appealing now. It had been one long... long day...

-End Chapter-

I'm so sorry for the sucky lime this time guys! don't hate me T.T

Please tell me if you guys enjoyed this chapter. I got hit with major writers block in the middle of it, hence the poorer quality. Once again, it's coming from my phone so if you see any major spelling errors, please tell me!

Thanks for reading.

-Everythingnerd12


	27. Welcome

**Chapter 27**

Metallicana stared long and hard at his son, who stared right back. To any outsider, it would look like the most intense staring contest in the world, as both men had naturally mean looks in their eyes. It was silent, as the two men just stared each other down. And then Metallicana inhaled a drag of his cigar and blew it out through his nose, breaking the staring contest as the smoke rose up between the two. The silence was broken as the don opened a drawer in his desk and tossed a small pouch at Gajeel, who caught it easily.

"I approve, boy. When's the wedding?"

Gajeel grinned like a maniac. He knew, of course, that his father would approve of him marrying Levy. But that didn't mean it wasn't a bit nerve wracking to go ask for his blessing... and to ask for his mother's ring. He opened the pouch in his hand and his grin softened as he remembered seeing the beautiful diamond ring on his mother's finger when he was growing up.

"Don't know. But soon." Gajeel said as he looked at the ring. Levy's fingers were so dainty, he knew he'd have to get the ring resized. But still, he hoped she liked it.

"Boy." his old man got his attention again. Gajeel looked up, and he didn't like the dark expression on his face. "Bring her with you tonight." Gajeel instantly glared at his father.

"Old man..." he growled in warning. "I don't want her to see something like that."

"She's marrying into this family. She needs to know about these things, needs to see them." Metallicana said firmly, glaring right back at his son. "She's a smart girl, boy; she knows who you are and what you do. If she agreed to marry you despite that, yet can't handle seeing it for herself, then she doesn't deserve a place in our family." His words were cold and firm, and Gajeel knew they were absolute. If Levy couldn't accept everything that came with being a part of the family... the don would renounce his blessing on their marriage...

... and silence Levy.

* * *

Levy looked up from her book as Gajeel walked into their bedroom. She saw the scowl on his face and knew something was wrong. Standing up from the bed, she walked over to him as he just stood by the door, looking at her.

"What's wrong, Gajeel?" she asked softly. He sighed heavily and pulled her into his arms.

"Levy," he didn't call her shrimp so she knew he was serious right now. "I'm... damn, I don't know how to say it." he huffed. "Levy, you told me you accepted me and what I have to do for... work. You still feel that way... right?"

"Of course I do, Gajeel." Levy nodded. "I love you. I won't ever be afraid of you, because I know you'll never hurt me."

"You're right. I will never hurt you, Levy. Hell, I'm going to try my best to keep you from seeing things that will scare you..." he sighed, then stepped back and looked her in the eye. "But I can't do that this time. Levy, you need to come with me. What you're going to see will be scary, but I need you to remember your promise to me, and I need you to rememver that I will never, ever hurt you..." Levy swallowed thickly at this. What... what was he talking about? What was he going to show her? "Do you promise to remember?" Gajeel asked her, his voice firm but his touch light as he gently caressed her face.

"I... promise. But what-"

"I can't tell you, Levy. You have to see it without any knowledge beforehand." Gajeel frowned. If it was up to him, he would just tell her what she would see, let her mentally prepare herself for it. But his old man put his foot down. She needed to be prepared to see anything. If she couldn't handle it... she wasn't "worthy" of the family.

Levy could only nod to this, feeling extremely nervous. But she loved Gajeel... and she knew the kind of life he lived. If she was going to marry him... she needed to be ready to see anything. Gajeel smiled at the determination in her eyes. It put him at ease to know that she was already preparing herself for anything and everything. Maybe he shouldn't be so worried... but when her life was on the line how could he not be?

"C'mon. My old man's waiting on us." Gajeel kissed her forehead then took her hand, leading her out of the room.

Five minutes later found them downstairs in the same holding cells they'd once held Lily in. Metallicana was waiting on them, with a handful of council members and elders of the family. Makarov was standing in the corner, looking like he was trying his hardest not to cry.

Levy held Gajeel's hand tightly as he led her to stand by his father, facing a certain cell with a certain prisoner. Metallicana gave a small smile to Levy, before facing the prisoner.

"Laxus Dreyar," the Don spoke, his voice full of authority, "you stand before the family today, charged with sharing family secrets, conspiring with Phantom Lord, and targeting my son and future daughter-in-law. What do you have to say?" Levy looked to the prisoner inside the cell. He was a tall man with wild blond hair and a scar over his eye. He was grinning like a madman, and she couldn't help but notice his eyes were glued to her.

"Do you know how much money I was going to make by selling you to Phantom Lord, little Mcgarden girl?" Laxus grinned cruelly at her. "You're one valuable prize, especially to Phantom Lord. They're not gonna stop until they have you, now that they know you're still alive." he cackled. "I may have failed! Sure! But at least I get the satisfaction of knowing you will be targetted time and time again! Eventually your luck's gonna run dry!" he dissolved into a fit of laughter as Levy stared at him with wide eyes. This man... was the rat. He was the one who had been after her since day one, like Gajeel said. He was the one who told Phantom Lord she was still alive...

"Council, judge this vermin now." Metallicana spoke.

"Guilty." they said in unison, even Makarov and Gajeel spoke up.

"Who shall recieve the honors?" Metallicana questioned.

"He is Makarov's grandson." one member spoke up.

"But he was targeting Gajeel and his woman." another added. They held a quick vote, and it was decided that Gajeel would have the honor. Levy wondered what kind of honor it was, but she had a feeling she knew. She watched nervously as Gajeel approached the cell. He glanced back at her as he pulled out his gun.

"Levy. Don't look away." he told her firmly. She swallowed thickly, watching with wide eyes as he cocked his gun and aimed it at Laxus' head. Laxus just grinned like a maniac, his eyes never leaving Levy. He got some sick satisfaction with her watching his death. It was his last big "fuck you" to the world. His eyes locked with hers, right as Gajeel pulled the trigger.

Levy's eyes went wide as she watched blood fill the air. Laxus' body seemed to fall in slow motion, before landing on the ground in a heap. Blood began to pool around his body instantly. Gajeel turned to face her again and she saw that some blood had splattered on his clothes and face.

It was morbidly, eerily, beautiful for a moment. Levy found that she, surprisingly, wasn't afraid. Perhaps it was because she'd already seen Gajeel kill someone in front of her.

"Girl, this is the life you are marrying into." Metallicana's voice got her attention. "Can you handle this? Can you handle knowing that this is not the first, nor will it be the last, life your husband has taken and will take?"

"I... I love Gajeel. This... I can handle this." Levy nodded, turning her eyes to Gajeel, who was giving her a soft smile. She wasn't afraid of him, even after this. She still loved him, still wanted to marry him.

"Well, then," Metallicana spoke with a grin. "Welcome to the family, Levy McGarden."

"Welcome to the family, shrimp." Gajeel grinned at her. There was a round of "Welcomes" from everyone in the room. They may have lost one family member, but they gained a new one. Levy was now officially part of the family.

* * *

Hello my pretties! I'm sorry it's been a while since I updated. School and such got in the way but now I'm on summer break yay!

Review please! I'm sad I don't get a bunch anymore!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	28. Part of the Family

**Chapter 28**

Levy peeked nervously into the room, paling at the large amount of people inside... most of whom she knew or knew of. She never would have imagined she knew so many people with connections to the mafia... connections to Fairy Tail. Shop owners, coworkers, patients... she saw someone she knew everywhere she looked. There, across the room, was Mrs. Potter. She owned the book store Levy frequented. Such a tiny old woman had connections to such a dangerous life... And there! The man standing in the center of the room! That was the CEO of the hospital she worked at! And... oh my Mavis, was that the MAYOR?!

"Surprised?" a familiar baritone filled her ears suddenly, making her jump in shock. She spun around to face Gajeel, who was chuckling at her with a knowing smirk. He looked rather dashing in his white and gray suit, his hair pulled back neatly for a change. "I told you there'd be people you knew here."

"I didn't know there would be so many." Levy admitted with a small blush as she peeked into the room again. She saw Don Metallicana sitting at the largest table in the ballroom, at the head of course, with his council members around him. There were two spots open to his right, presumably for Gajeel and herself. It would make the most sense, seeing as this was the celebration of their engagement.

"Let's not keep them waiting, shrimp. They're here to see us, after all." Gajeel chuckled in her ear, pulling her away from the side door and leading her down a nearby hall. He led her to a set of double doors near the back of the ballroom, close to where the Don was seated. There were numerous guards around every door, but this one especially. The Don, Gajeel, and Levy were the only ones allowed through these doors. Levy gave a small smile to Lily, who was officially part of the guard now. Her personal body guard, to be exact, but for events like this he was drawn into the common ranks in order to secure the area. Still, as her body guard, he was stationed at the door closest to where she would be sitting, in case of an emergency.

"I'm nervous." Levy paused as Gajeel led her closer to the double doors. As soon as she crossed the threshold she would be the main focus of attention from everyone in the room... and there were at least a hundred people there! That was disturbing enough, but taking into account that everyone in that room had ties to the mafia; ties strong enough to get invited to an event like this (because she knew that the average civilian in the know would not be invited to something like this); and then the fact that she knew several of these people... she was understandably nervous.

"Don't worry, shrimp. Just let my old man do all the talking. Smile. That's all you gotta do." He kissed her temple soothingly. "C'mon. Sooner this is done, sooner we can leave." He took her hand and led her into the large ballroom. The instant they were visible, all the talking stopped and all eyes turned to the newly engaged couple and the Don. Levy swallowed thickly as Gajeel led her to the table where Metallicana sat, waiting with a grin. Gajeel pulled her seat out for her, and pushed her in when she sat down. Then he took his seat next to his father, who waited a moment before standing up.

"I'd like to welcome you all to my home, my dear family." Metallicana declared with a smile. "This is a joyous occasion, which I've gathered you all together for. Tonight, we celebrate my son's engagement to the beautiful Levy McGarden." he motioned to Levy, who blushed as all eyes turned to her and applause broke out over the crowd. "My family, please, enjoy yourselves tonight. Eat, drink, be merry!" The don concluded, and most people in the room cheered at this. The avid talking and partying returned, and Metallicana took his seat again, looking over at Levy. "You, too, my dear. Enjoy yourself tonight. We all need a break from the tension of the past few months." he grinned at her.

"Thank you." Levy gave a small smile. She was glad that the attention was off of her now. She relaxed a bit and watched the party, smiling happily when Natsu and Lucy came over to talk to her for a while. Gajeel wandered off for a bit, returning with plates of food for them to share. When they'd had their fill, Gajeel dragged a blushing Levy out to the dance floor, grinning at her like some crazed maniac. She was pleasantly surprised to find that he was a good dancer, as he led her in a slow waltz before the music turned back to more modern stuff. They were heading back to their table when someone stepped in front of them.

"Ah, so glad I found you two in this crowd." A tall, slender woman in police uniform smiled as she extended her hand to Gajeel, who shook it with a smirk.

"If it isn't Erza Scarlet." he chuckled. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Yes, you've been doing a remarkable job of staying out of police custody." The woman chuckled right back, before turning to Levy and offering her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss McGarden. I am Erza Scarlet, the chief of police's second in command. I help the family avoid going to jail, or at least lessen the charges."

"It's a pleasure." Levy greeted back.

"Shrimp, you ever get in trouble with the police, or need help with anything involving them, this is who you call first." Gajeel told her with a smirk.

"Indeed. I will do my best to assist you." Erza smiled kindly at her. "Any-who, I just came by to wish you congratulations on your engagement. I must get back to the office, the chief will be wondering where I am." She smiled as she shook her head. "Have fun, you two. Congratulations, again." She waved as she walked away, giving Levy one more friendly smile. Levy smiled back. She seemed like a nice lady.

And then her eyes widened as she saw Erza's mood shift. She looked in the direction Erza was glaring in and saw that Natsu and Gray were having an argument of some sort. Normal occurrence, to Levy. Erza stormed over to the two, who were oblivious to her, and she smacked their heads together with enough force that Levy could hear the sound even across the room. She shouted at the boys, who both looked like a couple of punished puppies, whimpering and hiding their tails between their legs. Erza scolded them for a few minutes before pointing at Levy and Gajeel. When the boys nodded, she crossed her arms and watched them approach Gajeel and Levy.

"Gihi, that's Erza for ya." Gajeel chuckled, having watched the scene with her. "She grew up in the family, with Natsu and Gray. Mother-hened us all to death with her violent 'lessons,' gihihi." He laughed as Natsu and Gray approached them now, both stopping to bow a few feet away from them.

"We're sorry for disrupting your celebration." they said in unison, their heads still down. Levy was trying hard not to laugh. She'd never seen the guys so defeated. She glanced at Erza, who seemed satisfied with Natsu and Gray's behavior now. She smiled happily at Levy, who smiled back.

"Don't do it again, or it'll be my old man you apologize to instead." Gajeel warned sternly, though Levy could hear the amusement in his voice. He waved at Erza across the room, who waved back before finally leaving. "Alright, she's gone. Scram."

"Thanks, boss!" they said in unison again, before scurrying away. Levy couldn't help but giggle at their antics. Gajeel chuckled with her and led her back to their table, their original destination.

The rest of the night went without issue. Strangers kept coming up to Levy to congratulate her and Gajeel on their engagement, and to welcome her to the family. There was food, alcohol, and music aplenty. Levy eventually began to relax and enjoy the company of the entire family, as they all welcomed her with open arms and swore their undying devotion to her, Gajeel, the Don, and the family. She felt accepted and protected and, as she looked at Gajeel and Metallicana, she realized that this was what it meant to be 'family.'

Towards the end of the night, Gajeel leaned over to her and whispered in her ear. "Welcome to the family, my shrimp."

* * *

My lovely readers I am soooo sorry! Omg I've been super busy lately and I haven't had much time to update. Plus throw in some writer's block, and all I could put out was a filler chapter that pretty much just introduced Erza. I'm sorry!

But now I have some ideas for the next chapter, at least. Anyways, let me know what you think of this chapter. Thank you all for being so patient!

With love!

-Everythingnerd12


	29. The Tattoo

**Chapter 29**

It was early, very early. Perhaps around 4 in the morning. The streets of Magnolia were barren, devoid of life. Shops were still closed, their windows showing no light. Morning birds were chirping ever so softly, but most were still asleep. Only one sign of life showed in the entire city... a small little shop on the outskirts of town, whose light shone brightly in the darkness.

Levy could see their destination from over a block away. Her nerves hit her once more as she stared at the little shop, and she had to remind herself yet again why she was doing this. Then she looked up at Gajeel, who had his arm around her for warmth and protection. His eyes were narrowed as he constantly looked around them, searching for any sign of danger. She knew Natsu and Gray were tailing them in the shadows. Phantom Lord was still lurking around. Getting Laxus out of the picture didn't change that. Levy turned her eyes back to the shop, snuggling further into Gajeel's jacket, which he'd put on her shoulders at the first sign of her shivering. She smiled a little as his masculine scent filled her nose and calmed her nerves. Gajeel gave her a gentle squeeze, knowing how nervous she was as they drew closer to their destination.

They finally arrived at the small shop. Gajeel opened the door for her, and they heard a small bell tinkling as it opened. Levy hesitated, staring into the shop with nervous eyes. She glanced up at Gajeel, who gave her a small smile and motioned her inside with his head. She swallowed thickly before marching inside. Gajeel followed her instantly, locking the front door to the shop behind them. Levy looked around the front room with wide eyes, taking in the displays of artwork all over the walls. Pictures, drawings, and even paintings of the work this artist could do. She had to admit, he was good.

Gajeel's boots were thunderous as he walked across the room, heading for a hallway leading to the back of the shop. Levy quickly followed him, not wanting to be left behind. As they got closer to the back, a constant mechanical whir could be heard. They reached a small back room and looked inside, finding a very large yet very lanky man with purple hair, and a young woman with short silver hair there. The woman was sitting on something resembling a doctor's exam table. The man sat in a stool, completely focused on his work on her leg. Neither of them noticed Gajeel or Levy yet, as they were still quietly talking about something Levy couldn't quite hear. The woman looked as if she'd been crying, but she was smiling a little bit now, and Levy thought she was a very beautiful young woman. She couldn't be much older than eighteen...

"Oh. Someone's here..." The girl noticed them first, looking up to find Gajeel and Levy standing in the doorway. The man just grunted.

"Hey boss. I'm almost done. Take a seat or somethin." the man said without looking up from his work on the woman's leg. The mechanical whirring started again, and the woman flinched just a bit. Gajeel motioned Levy to take the only spare seat in the room.

"Good to see you're settling into the family. You holding up okay?" Gajeel asked the woman as Levy took a seat. The woman got a sad look on her face, then offered a small smile.

"I will be okay. Thank you... for saving me from that man." she said quietly. Levy wondered what was going on. It was clear that Gajeel had saved this woman, but from who and when did it happen? What happened to this poor girl to make her have such a sad look?

"And... done." The man suddenly spoke, sitting back and admiring his work. "What do you think, Lisanna?"

"It's... pretty." The woman stared at her new tattoo with awe, taking in the silvery white crest of Fairy Tail that was now on her left thigh. It shimmered in the light and looked so dainty, despite taking up a good portion of her leg. Levy stared at it in awe, as well, suddenly not as nervous as before. "Thank you, Mr. Bickslow." The man just grinned at her.

"My pleasure." he winked. "Go sit in the waiting room. I have to give you your care instructions, but I gotta see what the boss wants first." Lisanna nodded and hopped off the table, walking out of the room. The man, Bickslow, turned to Gajeel and Levy with a grin, and Levy was surprised to see a tattoo of a human-like figure on his face, right between his eyes. "So, boss and boss' lady, what can Bickslow do for you?"

"Levy wants to get her mark." Gajeel nodded his head towards Levy, who fidgeted nervously. Bickslow grinned widely, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, revealing a Fairy Tail symbol on his tongue.

"Oh? Based on those jitters... yer a virgin, ain't ya?"

"W-what?" Levy squeaked, her face turning all shades of red. Bickslow cracked up laughing, even slapping his knee a bit.

"I meant tattoo virgin, little girl, but I guess yer both, huh? Funny, didn't think the boss had it in him to-"

"Oi, stop mocking your boss and his girl." Gajeel smacked Bickslow upside the head. The man just snickered, though it was considerably less in volume than before.

"Yea, yea, yer the boss!" he chuckled before leaning forward in Levy's direction. Levy was still blushing furiously, but she managed to meet the man's eyes, surprised to find that they were so green that they almost glowed. "So. Boss' Lady. Future Mrs. Boss. Shall we get started?"

* * *

Levy's fingers twitched as she fought the urge to itch her itch. She rolled her shoulders, hoping the moving fabric would help, but it only made it worse. She gave up with a pitiful whimper, slumping against her boyfriend, her arms tightening slightly around his neck as the urge to scratch came once again. Gajeel gave a light chuckle and kissed the wrist he could reach.

"Having trouble, shrimp?"

"You didn't tell me it would itch..." Levy whined, burying her face in his thick mane of hair. Gajeel only laughed again and continued carrying her back to the mansion. He'd ended up carrying her about halfway into their walk home, as Levy had become too distracted by the itching and pain to focus on walking. After tripping three times, and being caught by her fiance three times, he'd decided enough was enough. Not five seconds later she was riding him piggy-back style. She resisted until her movement made her shoulder itch again. Then she gave up with a defeated sigh.

"Just don't scratch it if you want it to set right, shrimp." Gajeel reminded her as her hands twitched again. Levy responded with a pained whimper against his back. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Levy lifted her head up slightly.

"Ne, Gajeel?" She asked quietly. He turned his ear towards her to let her know he was listening. "Who was that girl in there? She looked so... empty."

"Ah, her." Gajeel hummed. "Her name's Lisanna. She's the newest Fairy Tail recruit."

"What happened to her? She said you saved her..."

"Un. From the rat. The night we caught him." Gajeel sighed. "He'd taken her hostage."

"He must have done something horrible to her, with how sad she looked." Levy said, feeling sad for the girl.

"He did." Gajeel shifted her on his back a bit, and glanced over his shoulder at her. "It's best you don't know what he did, Lev. Besides, it's her story... if you want to know, she's the one to ask. She's gonna be around the mansion more often. Pop took her on as a cook." They were silent for a while again, before Gajeel spoke quietly. "I'm... glad we got there in time, that night. She's too young for the shit she was put through."

"Gajeel..." Levy stared at him with new eyes. So he had a soft spot for young, innocent people... that was kind of sweet. "You really are a good guy, sometimes."

"Oi." He grumbled at her half-heartedly. Then he sighed. "Just don't be sayin stuff like that around no one else, shrimp. Got a reputation to uphold, ya know." he sniffed. Levy just smiled with a light giggle, burying her face in his hair again.

"Whatever you say, Black Steel."

* * *

Wow, I can't believe how busy I've been lately. I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting! Here's another chapter, at long last.

I didn't forget about Lisanna or anything, I was just waiting for the right moment to bring her back. She'll be around here and there.

Please, let me know what you think! The more reviews I get, the more I want to write when I have free time! Hint, hint!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	30. Progress

**Chapter 30**

Levy blushed prettily as she stared in the mirror, looking at the new tattoo on her left shoulder. She couldn't quite turn her head enough to see all of it, so Gajeel had come up behind her with a hand-held mirror and angled it so she could see it through the floor length mirror in front of her. Gajeel grinned proudly as he looked at the tattoo with her, he couldn't have been happier with her decision.

She'd gotten a Fairy Tail tattoo, of course. The symbol was white and seemed to shimmer, and it had a thin black outline you could barely see. But what Gajeel was so damn happy about was the black dragon that curled around the symbol, almost protectively. It looked like a much smaller version of the one on his own back, and that was purposeful. She'd gotten his personal symbol tattooed on her. It was fitting, seeing as she would be marrying him soon. But that she'd been willing to go that far, especially for her first tattoo, that meant a lot to Gajeel.

"What do you think, shrimp? Like it?" Gajeel asked, pulling the fabric of her shirt aside a bit more so she could clearly see the entire tattoo. She blushed again. Because of where the tattoo was, she had to be almost topless to see it... and she wasn't wearing a bra, because it made the still-healing tattoo itch. She was damn close to flashing Gajeel, and he knew it, too, if that grin on his face told her anything.

"I think he did a wonderful job." Levy answered through her blush, referring to Bickslow. She pulled her shirt back down, much to Gajeel's disappointment. She turned around to face him and he smirked, making her raise an eyebrow at him.

"Cold, shrimp? Let me warm you up." He grinned lecherously, opening his arms for her. Levy flushed again, realizing how the cool air was affecting her body, and she crossed her arms in front of her chest, though she let Gajeel pull her into his arms. She wouldn't admit it, but she was a bit chilly and he was always so warm. She couldn't stop the contented sigh from escaping her lips as his warmth washed over her. Gajeel's grin turned into a soft smile as he wrapped his arms around her. She was so cute sometimes, even he had to stop and admire her occasionally. "C'mon, shrimp, it's warmer in our bed. 'Sides, it's gettin late." He gently pulled her with him to the bed and she let him. She was starting to feel the day's events weighing on her.

They'd spent most of the day making wedding arrangements, at the Don's insistence. He wanted them married ASAP, and he wanted grandbabies right after. Levy giggled at this thought. Who would have thought the tough, strong, cold-hearted leader of Fairy Tail would be so very eager to have grand children to spoil? Just the mention of a potential grandchild had him almost swooning with joy, plans to spoil and coddle them going through his mind. Gajeel had been absolutely shocked to see this side of his father, for even he had never seen him act this way.

Levy had blushed, of course, every time he mentioned grand children. She was still very much a virgin, but it was obvious the Don didn't know that. It seemed nobody knew that, actually, the exception being Bickslow who'd found out on accident. Lucy and Juvia would constantly ask about her sex life, and write her off as shy or conservative when she couldn't answer or would avoid answering. Even Lily seemed to think there was no way she was a virgin. He'd seen all the hickeys on her neck that day and had assumed she was already married to Gajeel, if not at least surely sleeping with him frequently. And Gray had seen the same hickeys. Damn Gajeel and his womanizer reputation. She was going to blush herself to death one day, because nobody seemed to believe Gajeel would be able to keep his hands off of her for as long as he has.

Not to say, she wasn't happy about that... Gajeel was a perfect gentleman with her. Well, not so perfect, actually. But he respected her boundaries and backed off instantly whenever she asked him to. She'd never had to tell him no more than once, and even that was rare. He seemed to know when she was about to push him away, seemed to know exactly what her limits were and how far he could push her. Sure, he teased her relentlessly, made lewd suggestions often, and was constantly flirting with her, especially when they were alone. But he always, always respected her boundaries.

Mavis, it was part of why she loved him so damn much. Why she trusted him with everything... her life, her heart, her virginity. She knew without a doubt that he would never, ever hurt her in any way... not intentionally, at least. And the more she realized this, the more she thought about it... the more she realized that she would very soon be ready for that big step with him.

Just... not quite yet.

* * *

Gajeel was woken by someone shaking his shoulder. He groaned as he stirred, slowly cracking an eye open and glancing at the clock on the nightstand. Two in the morning... He turned to the person who was shaking him awake, and he woke up instantly. Levy was sitting up in bed, trying to wake him as tears poured from her eyes and tremors ran through her body.

"Levy..." He sat up and pulled her into his arms as she let out the sob she was holding back. He said nothing more, just simply held her close. He let her cry it all out, rubbing soothing circles on her back. This was not the first, nor would it be the last, time Levy had woken him because of a nightmare. She usually didn't even remember the dream, itself, just the fear and the sorrow. She would seek comfort from him, and he would give it freely. He hated seeing her cry. He'd give her whatever she wanted just to make her tears stop.

Eventually her tears stopped and they just sat there, Gajeel still rubbing her back as she sniffled softly against his chest. It seemed like forever before Levy pulled away to look up at him, her eyes still watery. He wiped a stray tear from her eye with his thumb, and the gentle, caring action made Levy just want to cry again, for a different reason now. Mavis, he was so good to her, and she loved him so very much. She never knew it was possible for her heart to be so full of love that she just wanted to cry. Instead of crying, she hugged Gajeel tightly, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his neck. He returned the embrace warmly, his arms wrapping around her waist and holding her closer to his body.

Gajeel relaxed when it seemed she was no longer upset about her nightmare. She hugged him, and he could tell her mood had changed completely by the way her delicate hands found themselves tangled in his hair as she hugged him. He held her closer, thankful to have been able to stop her tears. Mavis, he would do anything for this woman, just to make her happy... He buried his nose in the crook of her neck, taking in her sweet, gentle scent of old papers and lavender. And then he tensed as he suddenly felt lips on his neck.

Levy was kissing him, her mouth on every inch of skin she could reach on his neck. Gajeel bit back a groan as she began to use her teeth, his body reacting to her instantly, making him shift as a certain part of his anatomy woke up. His grip on her tightened as she continued, until he was finally able to form words. "Shrimp... Mavis, if you don't stop-" he ended with a sound that was almost a growl as Levy gave a rather harsh bite. The next thing she knew, she was on her back being kissed passionately by her very hungry fiancé. She let out a pleased mewl as he pulled from her lips, leaving her breathless, to attack her neck with ten times the gusto she'd done to him.

Sweet Limey Goodness Ahead...

She didn't honestly know what prompted her to kiss Gajeel like she had. One minute she was so overcome with love for him, and the next she just had this strong desire to kiss him, to make him kiss her. She'd gotten what she wanted. Gajeel was absolutely ravaging her with fierce, hungry kisses, alternating between her lips and her neck. He kept his body pressed intimately against hers, giving the occasional roll of his hips against her. She blushed prettily upon discovering just how aroused she'd made him, just by kissing him.

Gajeel began to slow down upon seeing her blush. The back of his mind was shouting at himself for losing control like that, but Levy didn't seem to mind. She was panting and mewling and gasping with pleasure as he kissed her, never once trying to push him away or slow him down. Still, he slowed himself and turned his harsh, hungry kisses into slow, deep, passionate ones. The change made Levy outright moan as he sucked on her neck slowly, languidly... when his lips returned to hers, she returned his kiss eagerly, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders as he gave her the most passionate, toe-curling kiss she'd ever had. She could feel something like fire building within her, her entire body heating up in response to his kiss. His hands began to wander, one hand slipping beneath her shirt, and the other sliding down to hook her knee over his waist. Despite his boxers and her pajama pants in the way, she could clearly feel how affected he was by the kissing, as well.

He returned to her neck, placing mark after sweet, tortuous mark on her pale skin. Levy's breath hitched as the warm, calloused hand beneath her shirt came up and cupped a breast, his thumb rubbing sensually over her nipple. She felt Gajeel grin against her neck. In the next second, her pajama shirt was yanked open, buttons popping and flying everywhere. Levy couldn't even think to complain as Gajeel's mouth instantly sought out a nipple. She mewled beneath him, her grip on his shoulders tightening as his hot mouth encased one perky peak, his hand still sensually rubbing at its twin. She could only gasp and moan as he bit and sucked at her, keeping his actions slow but oh, so sensual. He took her captured nipple between his teeth, pulling gently on it before releasing her. And then he instantly descended on her other one. Meanwhile, the hand that had been assaulting that breast began to journey down her body. Levy let out a strangled moan as his hand slid beneath her pajama shorts and panties. Gajeel groaned on his discovery, and he released her breast and trailed burning hot kisses back up her body to her ear.

"You're so fucking wet." he groaned in her ear before taking it between his teeth, biting down lightly. He slid his fingers between her slick folds, grinning as her breath hitched and her hips bucked against him. "I need to know now, Levy. All the way, or no?" He pulled back slightly to look her in the eye, loving the sight of her blushing so prettily for him. She actually thought about it, which was something he'd never seen her do. She would always straight-up just tell him no before, and now she looked like she was debating with herself. She finally shook her head. She wasn't quite ready... not yet. But damn, was she close to being ready for that, and now Gajeel knew it, too. Despite his mild disappointment that tonight would not be that night, he was happy to know that the night he'd been dreaming of would happen soon enough. So he gave her a reassuring smile and a gentle kiss. "Alright, my shrimp. I don't mind waiting for you." he assured her. Then he gave her a wicked grin. "But I'm still gonna make you scream my name tonight..." And with that he was back to fervently kissing her.

He waited until she was relaxed and responding to him again before he made his next move. His fingers expertly found her sensitive bundle of nerves, and he set to work on pleasuring his girl. Levy gasped and moaned beneath him as his fingers worked their magic. He returned to kissing and sucking at her breasts, adding more to her pleasure. When the timing seemed right to him, Gajeel grinned against her breast and slid a finger into her untouched entrance, watching as Levy cried out in a mix of surprise and pleasure. He let her get used to the sensation before he began to pump his finger in and out of her core, loving the way she responded by gripping tighter at him and moaning out his name. Mavis, he could listen to her moan his name all day long and he would never get tired of it. But... that wasn't enough for him right now. Moaning was nice... but he'd promised her she would be screaming his name.

Another finger was added, making Levy cry out beneath him. He gave her no time to adjust to this intrusion before he curled his fingers within her, earning a delicious scream from the petite woman beneath him. She had a death grip on his shoulders, and her body was beginning to tremble from the pleasure he was giving her. A few more pumps of his fingers, and he knew she had to be close... but she still wasn't screaming, and he had to change that. So with a wicked grin, he removed his fingers, pulling his hand entirely away from her. She whimpered loudly at the loss, feeling the pain of being denied her release.

"Do you want to cum, shrimp?" Gajeel grinned down at her as she whined and shifted uncomfortably from her loss. She was far too needy to be embarrassed, so she could only nod with a pitiful whimper. "I want to hear you say it."

"I want it..." Levy whined, her cheeks reddening.

"What do you want? You gotta be specific, shrimp." Gajeel chuckled, his fingers tugging lightly at the hem of her shorts.

"I w-want to... cum..." she blushed crimson, but a needy shiver went through her. How could saying something so dirty possibly turn her on this much? Gajeel slid her shorts down to her knees.

"Louder. I can't hear you." he smirked, sliding the shorts off of her completely.

"I want to cum." she spoke louder, ending with a moan as Gajeel returned to placing hot kisses along her neck, his hands roaming over her completely bare body. He kissed a fiery trail down her body, stopping to pay homage to her breasts. He quickly had Levy panting and moaning again, and he paused his attentions on her breasts to look up at her.

"Louder." he growled, his voice deep and downright sinful.

"I... want to... cum..." Levy panted, her voice even louder than before.

"Who do you want to make you cum?" Gajeel growled, nipping sharply at her nipple and earning a cry from her. His fingers were once more at her core, teasing her bundle of nerves, making her moan beautifully for him. He paused when she didn't answer. "Tell me." He demanded.

"Y-you." Levy panted, arching her back, trying to make him touch her more.

"Who?"

"You."

"Who?" Gajeel growled again.

"You! Gajeel! Please, make me cum!" Levy finally screamed out. Gajeel grinned in victory, and he was instantly between her legs. He gave a long, slow, tortuous lick along her core, reveling in Levy's cry of surprise and pleasure. And then his mouth descended on her clit, at the same time he plunged two fingers into her core, and his name escaped her mouth in a _scream_.

It did not take long before Levy was a panting mess, screaming and crying and chanting his name over and over as he showed her pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. Her fingers were buried in his hair, her thighs squeezing his head... she was shaking from the pleasure. Gajeel had his free hand across her hips, holding her down as she involuntarily tried to buck her hips against his face. He was eating her like she was the last meal he would ever have. He reveled in her screams, loving the way she was chanting his name to the heavens. He could tell she was getting close, so deliciously close, and this time he would give her what she so desperately wanted.

Oh, hearing her scream his name as she came undone was bliss for Gajeel. He groaned as he devoured her essence, extending her orgasm as long as he could. When he finally felt her trembling stop and her legs relax around him, he slowly sat up and looked down at his girl. He grinned cockily at the dazed look on her face. She shivered occasionally as aftershocks of her pleasure washed over her. Gajeel chuckled and crawled back up her body. He claimed her lips with a deep kiss, letting her taste herself on his lips. She mewled against his mouth as she returned the kiss, and then he was back to kissing her neck, softer this time, just peppering her skin with his kisses.

"That was so fucking hot, Levy." Gajeel groaned against her skin. He could feel himself straining against his boxers, but he would take care of that issue later. Right now, he had a shrimp to cuddle. She was already starting to hide herself in his chest, her cheeks a bright pink as she realized how... wanton she'd been just now. Gajeel chuckled at her embarrassment, laying back on the bed beside her, and pulled her to his chest. "I swear, shrimp... you're just too cute sometimes." he grinned, then sighed happily, burying his nose in her hair. "I fucking love you."

"I love you, too, Gajeel." Even embarrassed, Levy still responded. His sweet words helped her relax, and she offered him a small smile before realizing that he still had a very big problem. She blushed deeply at seeing the obvious tent in his boxers. Gajeel had focused solely on her pleasure, when he got nothing out of it... that didn't seem fair to her...

"Don't worry bout it, shrimp." Gajeel gave a soft sigh when he noticed where her attention was.

"But-" he cut her off with a sweet kiss.

"I'll be fine. I think we're both too tired for anything else, anyways." he told her, and she realized then just how exhausted she was. It was still late, nearly three in the morning now, and she'd been woken by a nightmare... she was exhausted. "Just sleep, my shrimp." Gajeel said around a yawn.

"Okay..." she yawned back quietly, snuggling into his chest. "Gajeel... I love you."

"I love you, Levy." he smiled as she was already drifting off in his arms. He kissed her forehead, and then followed her back into the world of dreams.

* * *

Outside, in the hallway, a grinning Don walked away, glass of water in hand. He'd paused outside his son and future daughter-in-law's room upon hearing noises... and hearing Levy screaming his son's name only assured him of what they were doing. He walked away with a pep in his step, wondering what his grandbabies would look like...

* * *

Bloody hell, I'm blushing and I freaking wrote that! Haha! Well, I'm sorry for the long wait again, but you lovely readers have been rewarded with some much-needed sexy time with our favorite duo! In the words of Maui, Shapeshifter, Demigod of the wind and sea, hero to all... You're Welcome!

Tell me what you think! I'm sorry if the lime was oddly placed but, to be fair, one of my best sexy time memories is waking up from a nightmare, being comforted, and then getting laid soooo yea :P

Thanks for reading! I will try to update again soon!

Matta ne!

-Everythingnerd12


	31. Arch-4 Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 31**

Levy awoke slowly, her body wanting to stay asleep but her internal clock telling her it was time to wake up. But she was so comfortable, she didn't wanna move... She snuggled further into the warm mass that surrounded her, breathing in the wonderful masculine scent it was giving off. Five more minutes, she told herself, unaware that she'd mumbled said words aloud. A soft chuckle had her mind active, despite her body's protests. Someone was near her... who could it be? Her mind wanted to know, and she begrudgingly opened her eyes, finding herself face to chest with her drop-dead handsome fiancé. She practically drooled over his chest for a long moment before her eyes wandered up to meet Gajeel's. His crimson eyes were full of mirth as he watched her, that cocky grin on his face as usual.

"Though you said five more minutes?" he chuckled softly upon meeting her eyes. Levy just groaned; it was too early to be teased. She buried her face in his chest and willed herself back to sleep, but it was useless. She was awake now, no matter how tired she was she would not be going back to sleep anytime soon. Gajeel just chuckled at his sleepy woman, running his fingers through her hair. Levy sighed contentedly against him, and he knew if she could purr she would be purring now.

They just lay there together, basking in the silence of the morning. Levy reveled in the feel of his fingers massaging her scalp and playing with her hair. She didn't even notice his other hand sliding along her body until she felt the undeniable sensation of a large, calloused hand squeezing her ass. She squeaked as she realized it was flesh on flesh, and she wondered where the hell her pants were... which then led her to wondering where the rest of her clothes were. Good Mavis! She was naked!

Gajeel chuckled, having wondered when she would realize her state of dress. He had to admit, it was very nice to wake up to a naked shrimp in his arms, her body pressed so closely against his as she slept. Mavis, that had been wonderful. But he knew it wouldn't last. Sooner or later she was going to realize she was naked as the day she was born. From there, Mavis knows what she would do. Gajeel figured she would either kick him out of bed so she could get dressed, hide under the blankets until he was gone, or blush so much she would pass out. He did not, however, expect her to blush and hide her face in his chest, inadvertently pressing herself even more against him.

Levy's mind was reeling. She was naked and, as far as she could tell, Gajeel was just in his boxers. It wasn't that unusual for him, and she was quite used to seeing that wonderfully sculpted chest of his every morning. But she always, always wore pajamas! Where were they?!

And then she remembered... last night. Oh, yes, how she remembered last night and the amazing, wonderful sensations Gajeel had made her feel. She blushed furiously as she felt heat gather in her core upon remembering last night. Mavis, it had been wonderful. They didn't even go all the way, and yet Levy couldn't believe how much closer she already felt to him after all that. She found herself pressing closer to Gajeel, burying her face in his chest as the memories flashed before her eyes. She felt Gajeel's arms wrap around her, holding her close as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Levy looked up at Gajeel and he froze at the amount of emotion in those hazel eyes of hers. She was flustered, of course, but her eyes were full of love and something else he hadn't expected to see in her eyes... lust. He grinned. So she remembered last night and enjoyed those memories. Of course she would, but he'd expected her to still be too embarrassed about it. He was pleasantly surprised to find that she was becoming much braver about their intimate times.

"Damn, shrimp, you look like yer gonna eat me." He grinned cockily at her, making her eyes fill with embarrassment as the lust faded away. He chuckled as her face turned a bright red color, and then he moved to lean over her. He stared down at the petite woman, his eyes filling with hunger as he took her in. "Fuck, you're so beautiful, Lev." He couldn't help but breathe out. He smiled at the cute blush she was giving him, and he leaned down to give her a gentle kiss before he sat up from her. She sat up, as well, bringing the blanket with her to cover herself. "I've gotta get ready, shrimp. Got a meeting here in a bit." He told her, watching as the disappointment filled her eyes. She wanted some more alone time with him, as they rarely had any time for just them, aside from sleep. "Do ya wanna... take a shower with me?" he offered, expecting her to reject it like she did time and time again. She blushed, like he was expecting, but then she nodded. He couldn't hide the happy grin if he wanted.

Gajeel stood and offered his hand to her. She blushed again, realizing she'd have to leave the safety of the blankets and expose herself to him again. But it's not like he hadn't already seen everything... so she took his hand and let him help her out of bed. She squeaked in surprise when Gajeel's strong hands lifted her up so he could carry her princess-style to the bathroom. Gajeel only grinned at the flustered woman, extremely happy that she accepted his offer.

The shower was... nice. Once Levy got over her blushing, anyways. Gajeel washed her hair for her, and she nearly fell asleep again, it felt so relaxing. Levy tried to reciprocate, with the hair she could reach, anyways. He ended up stooping down to her level to let her get the top of his head, which put him at eye level with her perky breasts. He grinned the entire time, his eyes glued to her body. By the time they were ready to exit the shower, Gajeel was dying to touch her somehow. Before Levy could leave, he pinned her to the wall of the shower and kissed her under the running water. She hesitated at first, but when it was clear he was just going to kiss her, she relaxed and returned the kiss. They made out until the water started to turn cold, and then they begrudgingly exited the shower.

Gajeel unfortunately had to get ready and leave quickly after that. He gave Levy a sweet kiss before he left, promising to be back by dinner time. On his way out, he sent Lily to be her guard for the day, suggesting he arrange for Lucy and Juvia to have lunch with her, fully aware of the hickeys covering her neck that would surely be pointed out to her instantly. He couldn't help but torture his shrimp... just a little. He grinned as he left the mansion, the thought of her blushing and trying to hide her hickeys a pleasing image in his mind...

* * *

"Well, what information have you brought me?" a dark figure shrouded by shadows demanded as a low-ranking member of his guild was thrown at his feet, beaten and battered. The man struggled to even get to his knees, looking up at his boss with wide, fearful eyes. "Speak, worm!" the shadowed boss demanded angrily, his patience wearing thin.

"I-I've seen her, sir! She's alive and healthy but those Fairy Tail dogs have her all but locked up at their base. She doesn't go anywhere without half a dozen guards around her, and those are just the visible ones." the man spoke quickly, fearful of upsetting his boss further. It was bad enough he brought bad news. Making his boss lose his patience was just another way to end up dead. "W-without that rat we had in there, I don't see any way to get her... not without losing some of our own men..."

"You leave that to me." the boss snarled, and the man shut up. The boss began to pace in the shadows, growling angrily as he thought on this situation. "I want that girl. At any cost." he turned his narrowed eyes to his second in command, who flinched under his gaze. The boss glared harder. Everyone in this guild was so weak, it was no wonder they had never prevailed... they were lucky he came in and took over, but he was beginning to regret working with a bunch of weaklings. "You. This is your task. Get me that girl, or I'll put your head on a pike. Understand?"

"Yes, boss!"

"Go! NOW!" the boss ordered, and the man scurried from the room. He had work to do, if he was going to save his own hide.

That poor McGarden girl had no idea the hell that was coming her way...

* * *

Hehe a cliffie. Sorry! But at least I got to update again! Yay! Twice in one day after nothing for a while, you guys are lucky!

Haha, but seriously, tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading!

Ja, matta!

-Everythingnerd12


	32. Thunder

**Chapter 32**

Lily smiled happily to himself as he escorted Levy to the mansion's tea room. Levy was chatting away with him, a happy smile on her face. She was always so full of life, and Lily admired that about her. She'd asked him several times now where they were going and why. He'd merely told her it was a surprise, but that she should thank her fiancé when she saw him again. She'd gotten a thoughtful look on her face, her curiosity only growing, but she accepted it as a surprise to her from Gajeel.

The walk was fairly short. Levy and Gajeel's room was almost directly in the center of the mansion, just a few doors down the hall from the Don's room and even his office. Therefore, she was relatively equidistant to every room in the mansion. Lily was happy to have some alone time with his charge. She was such a sweet girl and he was always happy to be around her. She'd been this way even as a child. He adored her, like the daughter or perhaps niece he'd never had, and he would lay down his life for her without thought. She was far too sweet and gentle for this dark world she was in...

It amused him, this morning, when he'd noticed prominent marks all over her neck. She didn't even seem to know they were there, as she would have blushed if she'd known. Knowing what her surprise was, however, he decided not to point them out to her. No harm in having a little fun at her expense. Still, he was happy for her. Gajeel obviously treated her well, and she clearly meant the world to him. He couldn't have found a better match for the petite woman if he'd tried. Gajeel was strong, intelligent, a brilliant leader, and deep down very kind, though he knew when and where he had to be cold, calculating, and ruthless. He was a perfect balance to Levy's sweet, innocent nature, and he took care to keep her that way as much as possible.

Yes, Lily rather liked Gajeel, especially for Levy's sake. They weren't a perfect couple, by any means, but they were perfect for each other, and that's what mattered the most.

They finally arrived in the tea room, and Levy squealed happily at seeing Lucy and Juvia sitting around a table full of sweets and tea. She turned to Lily with wide, happy eyes. "This is my surprise?!" she cheered, which made Lily smile as he nodded.

"Gajeel noticed you seemed lonely lately. He asked me to arrange for you to enjoy an afternoon with your friends, my lady." he said, giving a bow and grandly gesturing to the room, where Lucy and Juvia were waiting with happy smiles. He was surprised when Levy's tiny arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled the tall man down for a hug. She kissed his bald head with a happy smile.

"Thank you, Lily! This is a wonderful surprise, and it's as much from you as it is from Gajeel. Thank you!" Levy smiled at him. He gave her a soft smile in return and motioned her into the room.

"It is my pleasure. Enjoy your afternoon. I will be right outside should you need anything." He smiled at how she eagerly hurried into the room, embracing her friends with a big hug. It had been weeks since she'd seen them both, having been all but locked away in the mansion for her own safety. The last time she'd seen them was at her welcome party, and she didn't get to be alone with them. Lucy, she'd seen a bit more recently, as she'd stayed with her the night Gajeel went after Laxus. Even then, they'd focused more on baby Kasai than they did on much else. Kasai, it seemed, was quite the daddy's girl and, with him out with Gajeel for the night, she was quite the fussy one.

"Oh, we've missed you!" Lucy hummed as she hugged her friend. "I tell you what, as soon as this whole Phantom Lord thing blows over, we're going to a spa for a week, just the three of us!"

"Oh, that sounds wonderful! Juvia is most excited." Juvia clapped her hands happily.

"Me, too! That sounds like fun." Levy smiled, but was interrupted as her stomach growled. She blushed a bit. "I haven't eaten yet, today. All this food looks so good. Why don't we eat and catch up?"

"Sounds good to me!" Lucy giggled, grabbing a few plates and passing them out. They feasted on finger sandwiches, scones, and a variety of cakes and cookies, enjoying some delicious imported tea that had been prepared for them. It wasn't long before the teasing began. Lucy noticed the marks on Levy's neck first, and she got an evil look on her smiling face. "Sooo, Levy-chan..." Levy from at the sound of her voice. She knew that sound. Lucy was planning something.

"Y-yes?" she squeaked upon seeing the evil smirk on her face.

"You seem to have had a pretty good night last night, huh?" Lucy chuckled. Juvia caught on, seeing the marks on Levy's neck, and she giggled but didn't interfere. Levy blushed at the memories of the previous night, the wonderful pleasure Gajeel had shown her... but how did Lucy know... wait... She grabbed a spoon and looked into it's reflection, gasping in horror at the sheer number of hickeys dotting her neck. Oh, she was going to kill Gajeel!

"T-that's n-not... it's not what it l-looks like!" Levy squeaked out through her crimson blush.

"Oh? Juvia thinks it looks like Mr. Boss has a biting fetish." Juvia chuckled evilly, joining in on the teasing.

"H-he does but-"

"Oh, just admit it, Levy-chan." Lucy interrupted her with a smirk. "You had some pretty hot, dirty sex with your new fiancé last night, didn't you?"

"I-I-"

"Juvia didn't hear a no." Juvia giggled as Levy found herself morbidly embarrassed. She could barely form words, but she finally got something out in a high-pitched squeak.

"I'm still a virgin!"

Both the other women stopped their teasing to just stare at her in shock. Levy felt as if her face couldn't possibly be any redder. She hid her face in her hands, just wanting to hide under a rock. She stayed that way until Lucy gently but firmly pulled her hands away from her face.

"You're telling the truth?" Lucy almost didn't believe her, but there was no way her face would be so red if she wasn't telling the truth. Levy could only nod. "But... this is Gajeel we're talking about! We are talking about the same Gajeel? Right?" Again, Levy nodded. "But... the marks... and you sharing a room..."

"I g-get nightmares a lot." Levy whimpered out. "Gajeel's the only one that makes them go away. That's why we share a room. Plus I'm safer that way."

"And the marks?" Juvia asked now.

"S-sometimes we do more than kiss... b-but I... we've never... gone all the way." She tried to hide in her hands again, but Lucy wouldn't let her. Both women had guilty looks on their faces.

"Oh, Levy, I'm so sorry for teasing you so much! I just thought you were shy about it!" Lucy embraced the embarrassed girl.

"Juvia is sorry, too. Juvia had no idea Mr. Boss had such control..."

"I'm shocked, too. You know what his reputation is, surely?" Lucy looked down at Levy with wide eyes. Levy only nodded. She was fully aware of Gajeel's womanizing habits before they'd met. "He's not... not going to someone else, is he? I don't care if he's my boss, I'll kick his ass if that's what he's doing!"

"N-no, he hasn't been with anyone since we met." Levy assured her. "He's been a perfect gentleman about it. E-even last night... we... we almost did b-but I wasn't ready... he backed off and told me he would wait as long as he had to."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Juvia crooned.

"That is pretty sweet, actually." Lucy smiled now, backing off. "I can't believe it. That womanizer finally found someone worth waiting for. He must really love you..."

"H-he does." Levy gave a small smile. He didn't even have to tell her as much as he did. She knew he loved her. She knew it by the way he looked at her, by the way he treated her, and by the fact that he was so patient with her in the bedroom. He never urged her farther than she was comfortable, he never complained about moving at her pace, and hell he even put her pleasure first and would rather leave himself hurting for release than push her to help him out. Even last night, he fell asleep with a raging hard on, and he wouldn't let her even think about helping him with it. He knew how tired she was, knew how much he'd tired her further with his actions... and he let her sleep rather than complain about being fair. "He loves me. I know he does, and I love him so much it hurts..." Levy told the girls, who smiled sweetly at her.

"Juvia thinks you two make the perfect couple, although Juvia's and Gray's relationship is even perfecter." Juvia swooned just at the thought of her husband. "Juvia is so lucky~ Ah, but Levy-chan is so lucky, too!"

"I agree, you and Gajeel make a great pair. You balance each other out, and there's just so much love there." Lucy had hearts in her eyes, too. "So cute... who would have thought our big, tough boss would finally meet his match?"

"Aw, guys..." Levy blushed, but she was smiling happily. She hugged bother of her friends happily. Just as she did, a large tremor shook the mansion, causing all the girls to tense up. Lily burst into the room, his eyes frantic.

"Ladies, the mansion is under attack. We need to move. Now!" he ushered them out of the room, and they all hurried to do as he said. "Quickly, the Don's office is the safest room in the mansion!" Lily urged them in the direction of the office. All three girls were running, Lily bringing up the rear. He had a pistol in each hand, and he was keeping close watch for any intruders as they ran. Lucy had pulled out a tiny pistol she'd had hidden on her. They stopped at each intersection until Lucy looked around and made sure the way was clear.

Levy's heart was racing from both the exercise and the fear. Someone was attacking the mansion. But the only ones she knew of with that kind of firepower was Phantom Lord. This was it! Phantom Lord was finally making their move by attacking Fairy Tail's base of operations! And the Don and Gajeel both just had to be out on business!

"There they are!" a shout behind them had Levy looking back. Far down the hall she saw a group of men pointing at them. They were all heavily armed, and one of them aimed his gun at them, spraying a few bullets in their direction. The girls screamed, ducking down a side hall as Lily countered with shots of his own, taking down two of the men.

"Keep going! I will hold them off as long as I can!" Lily shouted at them. Levy stared at him with watery eyes. No, he was outnumbered! They would kill him! She tried to stop him, but Juvia grabbed her and pulled her along. She watched in horror as a bullet found purchase in Lily's shoulder, his cry of pain making he scream.

"Lily!" She cried, watching her friend fall to his knees as bullets rained down on and around him. "LILY!"

"There's nothing we can do, Levy!" Lucy called back, but her eyes, too, were full of tears. "Don't let him die in vain! We need to keep going!"

"Please, Levy-chan! Hurry!" Juvia pulled at her, and they were once more making a run for the Don's office. They were almost there, just one more turn! Lucy wasn't even checking for hostiles now, her main goal was reaching the office. They rounded the last corner, and Lucy cursed herself for rushing head on towards the office. There was another group of intruders not ten feet from them, their backs turned to them. If Lucy had checked the corner, first, she would have seen them in time to avoid them without alerting them to their presence. But now it was too late. Juvia and Levy rounded the corner, and the sound of footsteps made the group of men turn to them. Guns were drawn instantly. Thinking quickly, Lucy yanked Juvia and Levy into the first room she saw, one of the guest bedrooms. She locked the door and pushed a dresser in front of it, but that wouldn't hold off several men for very long. She turned to a crying Levy and a fretful Juvia with sad eyes.

"I'm sorry... it's a dead end." She sniffed, feeling her own tears in her eyes. They could hear the men trying to break down the door. One of them shouted out about getting the McGarden girl no matter what. Levy stifled a sob at this. They... they were after her! Lily, he died because of her! Her friends were in danger because of her! This was all her fault!

"We won't let them get you." Lucy said, misinterpreting her sobbing. She looked at Juvia, who understood what she wanted. Juvia reached out and took Levy's necklace, the one Gajeel gave her when he claimed her as his woman, and she put it on herself while Lucy pulled out a pocket knife. Levy watched with wide eyes as Lucy cut Juvia's long blue hair down to her shoulders. "It's a long shot, but maybe they will believe it."

"No... don't do this..." Levy cried as she realized they were making Juvia out to be her. "They're after me... why would you do this?"

"Because it's our duty to protect you. And because we love you, Levy." Lucy told her firmly. "We won't let anything happen to you, as long as we can prevent it."

"Yes! It's an honor to protect Levy-chan." Juvia nodded, her eyes full of determination. "You are Juvia now, and Juvia is Levy." She told her firmly, just before the door was forced down, followed by the dresser. The women all gathered in a corner, keeping Levy in the back. Lucy had her gun aimed at the first man through the door. She killed him without remorse, and the man that came after her. But she only had three bullets in her tiny pistol, and she missed the third man. When he noticed she was shooting blanks now, he grinned and gave the all clear to the rest of the men. Soon five men were in the room, surrounding them, their guns poised to shoot if they resisted.

"Which one of ya is the McGarden bitch?" One man demanded. The women kept silent, which angered the man.

"Boss said she has blue hair." another man spoke up.

"Two of em got blue hair, you idiot!" the first man snarled, approaching the girls. He aimed his gun at Lucy's head, knowing he could shoot her without repercussions. "Tell me, girly. Which one is little Miss McGarden?" Lucy spat at him and he backhanded her. "Tell me, or I'll blow your brains out next time." he snarled.

"Wait." Another man walked into the room, and all eyes turned to him. He was more well dressed than the rest of the men, who were mostly in jeans and t-shirts.

"Why?" the first man growled. "She's obviously not the McGarden girl. Can't I just kill her?"

"And risk Jude Heartfilia's wrath? I think not." The man scoffed. Levy's eyes widened. Lucy was... a Heartfilia? Jude Heartfilia was a well-known billionaire who lived in Crocus. He was not associated with the mob, but he had his own means of getting what he wanted and those who crossed him were never seen again. "We are taking her with us, and we will present her to Mr. Heartfilia as a token of good will. He's been searching for his runaway daughter a very long time, after all." Lucy growled at the man's words but said nothing. All that mattered to her now was protecting Levy. She did, however, find herself extremely grateful that Kasai was with her husband at home. If her father knew he had a grandchild, there's no telling what he would do to get both of them.

"So what, then, are we taking all of them?" the first man questioned angrily. The other man just nodded.

"Take them all. And remember. Put them to sleep if you must, but they are not to be harmed. Not yet, anyways." He chuckled darkly, and several men laughed along with them. Levy and Juvia let out a scream as the first man landed a blow to Lucy's temple knocking her out instantly. She landed in a heap on the floor, and Levy bent down to check on her. She cried as Juvia was then knocked out in a similar fashion, and she looked up at the man in horror as he pulled back his hand. She shut her eyes tightly as the pain came.

* * *

muahaha another cliffhanger for you! deal with it XD

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	33. Family Ties

**Chapter 33**

Anger was not nearly a strong enough word... nor was livid... no, Gajeel was furious, royally pissed, and ready to kill anyone in his way. It took five men to hold him back from running off after Phantom Lord alone. His own father had to knock him out so he wouldn't go and get himself killed by facing Phantom Lord alone.

And just why was Gajeel so livid?

Because Phantom Lord took Levy...

Oh, Gajeel was going to kill every last one of those sons of bitches! Nobody touched his shrimp and got away with it! Nobody!

* * *

"Boy, think rationally about this." The don growled as his son paced in his office. It seemed to be the only room left standing after Phantom Lord's attack. The front of the mansion was nothing but rubble, having been destroyed by several well placed sticks of dynamite. Most of the rooms had been searched and ransacked. There were bodies of Fairy Tail guards here and there but, thankfully, there weren't too many of their own dead. Fairy Tail had not been expecting such a large frontal assault. The Don was furious, of course, just like Gajeel... but he was also filled with guilt. If he had fortified the mansion, bulked up the guard, maybe the frontal assault would have failed. There would not have been as many fatalities, and his future daughter-in-law and two of his beloved members would not have been abducted. "Rushing in blind is only going to get you killed, boy! And where would that leave Levy? You wouldn't even make it to where she is, let alone rescue her, and you know how devastated she would be if anything happened to you."

"I know!" Gajeel growled. "I know..." He gave a heavy, angry sigh as he tried to calm down. He sat down in a chair and put his arms on his knees, taking deep breaths before looking up at his father. His head was clearer, despite his persisting anger. But his father was right. If he was going to rescue his girl, he had to think rationally. "This is an act of war, you know..."

"Indeed." Metallicana huffed, relieved that his son seemed to be thinking straight now. "And one I will not stand for."

"What's your plan, old man?" Gajeel asked, to which the Don gave a smirk.

"We retaliate, of course."

* * *

Levy sat up with a groan, clutching her aching head. She whimpered as a wave of pain an nausea came over her. Opening her eyes, she realized her left one was swollen almost shut from the punch that man had given her. She looked around, finding herself in some sort of prison cell. Lucy and Juvia were in the same cell with her, both still unconscious. She hurried over to them to check on them, her eyes filling with tears as she saw bruises on both girls' faces. Lucy, it seemed, had the largest, having taken the most of that man's anger on herself.

Slowly, the girls began to wake, Juvia first, then Lucy. They all embraced upon seeing everyone was alright, despite the bruises. Levy, especially, as she knew what being asleep on a concussion could do to you. Just in case, Levy gave both girls concussion tests and had them do the same to her. Thankfully, none of them seemed to have a concussion, or at least nothing serious. The worst they had were the bruises, and Levy was grateful that was all they had.

"Well, well, well. It seems the beauties have awoken from their beauty sleep." a dark voice suddenly came, making all girls turn to the cell door. A man stood there, wearing a white cloak with a black shirt underneath and crimson leather pants. His reddish-brown hair was wild and untamed, and he had a scar over one eye. He grinned at the girls, and Levy shrank back at the evil look on his face. "Welcome to Phantom Lord, ladies. The name's Cobra. Yer gonna have to come with me, now. The boss wants to see ya. And don't try anything funny, or this will get real painful real fast." he chuckled as he unlocked the cell.

Minutes later found the girls upstairs, in Phantom Lord's main hall. There were screams and cheers as they were presented before the entirety of the guild as their captives. Cobra and some other men pushed the girls up onto a large stage in the center of the main hall, where a large man was waiting, arms crossed and a deep scowl on his face. He was huge, tall and very muscular. He had shoulder-length white hair, and weird line tattoos all over his face. Levy couldn't help but shrink back from his gaze as he looked each woman over with a scrutinizing glare. Then he turned the glare over to Cobra, who was now joined with a man Levy recognized as the leader from the group that attacked the mansion.

"I told you I wanted the McGarden girl. You bring me three women instead?" his deep voice questioned. The man next to Cobra shook with fear a bit before speaking.

"M-Master, the blonde is a gift. She is to be given to Jude Heartfilia in return for his aid."

"And the other two?"

"One is the McGarden girl... but we do not know which one." the man answered timidly. The large man, who was clearly the new guild master, motioned the other man to come closer. When he did, the master grabbed him and threw him clear across the hall. He landed heavily on a table, the force causing the wood to break.

"I gave you a job, worm. I expected you to know what you were doing. You failed." The master snarled at the barely conscious man. Then he addressed the remainder of the guild. "Make him regret the day he was born." His words led to a riot as several men gathered around the broken man and began to attack him. Levy watched in horror. How could they do that to someone who was supposedly family? It was horrible! But she didn't have time to dwell on it, as the master turned back to the girls with that scrutinizing glare of his. He grabbed Lucy, who cried out in pain at his harsh grip, and he tossed her like a ragdoll in Cobra's direction. "Put her back in a cell until Jude Heartfilia is contacted."

"Yer the boss, Brain." Cobra nodded and dragged Lucy away, leaving just Levy and Juvia standing before the man. He glared at them, looking between both women for a long minute before speaking.

"Which one of you is the McGarden girl?" he demanded. "Speak, or your friend will no longer be a bargaining chip with the Heartfilia family. She'll be too... broken, for a trade off." Both girls gasped in horror at his implications. Levy's eyes filled with tears. She was about to admit that she was who he wanted, but Juvia stepped in front of her protectively, holding up the dragon necklace she'd taken from Levy earlier.

"I am Levy McGarden. Leave my friends alone. Please, I beg of you." Juvia said with surprising determination. The man, who apparently went by Brain, stared at her for a long moment. Then he backhanded her. Juvia cried out as she fell to the ground.

"Let that be a lesson. Never, ever lie to me." he growled at her. Levy's eyes went wide at this. He knew Juvia was lying? "Stupid woman. I know exactly which woman I am looking for. That was merely your chance to lessen your own pain." he turned those cold eyes to Levy, who was positively shaking with fear now. "Unlike the fool who captured you, I know what Levy McGarden looks like." he grabbed Levy's arm roughly, and she whimpered against the pain of his grip. "So, little McGarden girl, allow me to welcome you to Phantom Lord. My name is Brain. I'm your uncle."

* * *

I'm so sorry it's been so long! Omg, I have had one hell of a month and a half. Almost 2 months now, I guess. I don't want to go too deep into the details but basically I moved into an apartment, got illegally kicked out of said apartment, lost a friend from all of it, moved into a dorm, and have been struggling getting everything together for class and stuff, which started last week. In other words... one hell of a time. Needless to say, I haven't had any time to update. I'm so sorry!

But things will be better now! Hopefully! I will have more time to write, anyways, but all this stress has really killed off my inspiration for the moment. But hopefully I will get that back! XD

Anyways, thanks for reading. Sorry for the short, choppy chapter and the cliffhanger!

-Everythingnerd12


	34. Drums of War

**Chapter 34**

"I'm your uncle." Brain sneered at Levy, who stared up at him with wide eyes. This man, this cold, heartless man who hurt her friends and threatened her family... he was related to her?! How? How could he possibly be her uncle? On either side? Her mother was so kind and gentle, and her father was firm but compassionate. This man before her, he was a cold, ruthless monster! "Ah, you don't believe me?" Brain scowled, tightening his grip on her arm. "I suppose I should specify. I'm your great uncle. Take a look, little girl. See any familial resemblance? Anything?" he pulled her closer, far too close for her comfort, and made her look at his face. He did look somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Something about the slant of his jaw and the curve of his eyes. "My niece looked so very much like my younger brother. Not so much like me, but it is enough, no?"

"I... you're my m-mother's... uncle?" Levy managed to stammer out, leaning back to try and distance herself from the man as much as possible. He just grinned at her.

"I see you've got my brother's smarts, much like your mother did." he shook his head, standing up straight once more. "Except for when it comes to men, apparently. The women in our family tend to fall for very... dangerous men, men who should be... _dealt_ with." Levy tensed at this. She couldn't tell if that was just him musing about her and her mother's choice of romantic interests, or if it was a concealed threat against Gajeel. And then she wondered if this man had something to do with her parents' deaths...

"What... what do you want from me? Why did you bring me here?" she gathered up the courage to ask.

"Oh, little girl, there are many reasons for that." he chuckled darkly. The cruel grin he gave her made her shrink back in fear. "But those reasons are for me to know... and you to find out." he released her arm but quickly pushed her off the platform. She yelped in fear and surprise as arms wrapped around her, and she looked behind her to find that Cobra had returned. "You know where to put her." Brain told Cobra, who nodded.

"And the other woman?" Cobra questioned.

"Stick her with the blonde for now. I might give her to the men later, if they deserve it." Brain chuckled, earning a cheering roar from the entire guild. Levy watched as men came to the platform and dragged a struggling Juvia away, in the same direction Cobra had taken Lucy. Cobra began to drag Levy in the opposite direction, pulling her through the crowd. The men kept trying to touch and grab at her as she was dragged away, all of them cheering or hooting lewdly. Levy's eyes began to fill with tears as she turned to look at Brain, who was still giving her that evil grin.

Gajeel... please... hurry!

* * *

Gajeel growled to himself as he paced back and forth. He paused to look out over the large group of men and women amassing at the ruined mansion. Fairy Tail members all eager to fight, to crush Phantom Lord, to get revenge! They were armed to the teeth, ready to live and die for the family. Even the members they had in the police force were there. It was the single largest gathering of Fairy Tail members since they initially drove out Phantom Lord sixteen years ago. No, this was larger. They'd gained more members since then... an unprecedented number of members, especially in recent years. No number of police, swat teams, or FBI agents could even think to confront this growing crowd, nor did they attempt to. No, the tension was so thick that the entire city could feel that something big was coming. Everyone stayed indoors, even the cops.

His old man, the Don, was overseeing the gathering of their forces. He stood in front of the growing crowd, his face stoic. But Gajeel knew the old man was as furious as he was. This was a direct attack on his family. Several of their best members were dead or injured, and three of them were taken. One being his future daughter-in-law. Makarov and Igneel stood beside him, as the rest of the council was helping get everyone together. Igneel's daughter-in-law, the mother of his grandchild, had been taken. He'd had to knock his son out to keep him from going after her, much like Metallicana had to knock some sense in Gajeel. Natsu finally got the message when Igneel reminded him that he still had Kasai to look after. Would he abandon his daughter? Leave her not only motherless, but fatherless as well? Natsu hadn't liked his implications, but he understood. He's been clinging to his daughter ever since, spending as much time as he could with her. But he was determined to get his wife back no matter what. He would fight, but his daughter would know he loved her before he left.

Gray was also in a bad place, though, unlike Natsu, he hadn't needed to be reminded of his daughter's importance. The first thing he did was make sure his baby girl was safe. Then he left her with a family friend, along with a note for his daughter, in case he or Juvia didn't survive this war. He's been helping everyone prepare since then.

Gajeel had been working closely with the council, creating a plan of attack. They formed squads, chose leaders of the squads, and decided their plan of attack. First, there was the infiltration team, led by Gajeel. They were going to try and locate their missing family members, and identify key targets to eliminate. Once they relayed information, or if they were not heard from by a certain time, the rest of the family would make their attack. They planned for three waves. The first wave would distract the main forces, and the second would cut of any path of escape. The third wave was bringing the heat. All the heavy hitters, destructive weapons, etc., would be coming in with the third wave. They were certain that Phantom Lord was unaware of their dealings in the arms section of the black market, seeing as they mostly focused overseas. They wouldn't know what hit them.

Phantom Lord would be nothing but ashes by the time they were through with them. Nobody. NOBODY messes with Fairy Tail.

* * *

Yay, I got a chance to update again! Sorry for the short chapter again but if I went any farther it would be one humongous chapter and it would have taken me even longer to update :P

Thanks for Reading! Please, please, please comment! Just say you were here or something. It really motivates me when people comment! Like and follow, too! But mostly comment!

Ja, matta!

-Everythingnerd12


	35. Phase One

**Chapter 35**

Gajeel glared at Phantom Lord's base through the binoculars. Levy was in there, somewhere, probably terrified out of her mind. She was so close, yet so far. There was a lot of work to do before she would be in his arms again. She'd better be unharmed, or Gajeel swore he'd make whoever harmed her beg for death.

"Boss, it's time." Natsu pulled Gajeel from his thoughts. Gajeel looked to the usually cheery man, finding only anger and determination filling his eyes. Natsu was in the same boat as Gajeel, as his wife had been taken. Gray, too, was unusually silent in the absence of his wife. He stood behind Natsu, arms crossed and an icy glare in his eyes aimed at Phantom Lord's base. Usually Gajeel would never take these two on a stealth mission. They were too loud, too reckless. But, given the circumstances, he couldn't tell them no. They wanted their wives back. They wanted vengeance. Who was he to refuse them? Besides, this time... their loud and reckless behavior would come in handy.

Gajeel looked over the two men, and then glanced back at his father, who stood in front of what appeared to be an army of Fairy Tail members. They were just outside of Oak Town, and they were ready for the war of a lifetime. His father nodded to him, and he nodded back.

"Let's go get our women." Gajeel said to Natsu and Gray. "Move out."

* * *

Levy glared at the door of her "room." Cobra had thrown her into a large, fancy room with a four poster bed, declaring it a 'room fit for a princess such as yourself.' He'd closed and locked the door before she could question what he meant by that. She'd been alone in here since then. A couple of hours, at least.

She sighed and looked around the room again. It really was a nice room. She'd love it if it wasn't her prison. But she was looking for something. A way out, any way out. She'd tried the door. Locked, of course, but she was relieved to know there was no guard. Just in case. A guard would have said something about her trying to escape. She eyed the room with scrutiny. There was a draft, so there must be a vent somewhere. She checked behind furniture, even behind the bed. She was on the verge of giving up when she looked above the bed. There, hidden by the bed's large frame... an air vent. Just large enough she could squeeze through. But she had to get up there first. Still, she grinned a very Gajeel-like grin... and then she set to work.

* * *

"Go." Gajeel whispered out the order as they hurried through the lower levels of Phantom Lord's mansion. They'd been lucky enough to find the basement door unlocked and unguarded. Phantom Lord was clearly expecting a full frontal assault, rather than an infiltration team. They came across a few random members, and took them out silently. They never knew what hit them. Gajeel made sure their bodies were hidden from sight before moving on.

"Lucy!" Natsu's voice came in a loud whisper. Gajeel looked up to find the man hurrying over to a row of cells, where the battered Lucy and Juvia were being held. Both women pressed against the cell's bars, reaching out for their husbands as they hurried over to them. Gajeel instantly noticed one woman missing, and he rushed over, as well. He saw that Juvia was wearing Levy's necklace, and his eyes hardened.

"Where's Levy?" he demanded as Natsu went in search of keys. Lucy gave him a sad look as Juvia began to cry.

"They took her. Juvia tried to convince them she was Levy, but their leader, he did not believe Juvia." she explained with a quiet sob. "They took her somewhere on the other side of the building."

"What else can you tell us, Juvia? What's the leader look like, how many people did you see?" Gray asked. Juvia gave over the details as Gajeel tried to process this. He'd been hoping, praying even, that Levy would have been with the other girls. Now he learns she's been separated from them. She was alone, vulnerable, and likely terrified, and Gajeel was going to kill the bastard who put her in that position.

* * *

"Almoosssst... got it!" Levy exclaimed in relief as she pulled herself up and into the vent. She took a moment to catch her breath as she sat in the dark vent, rubbing her arms as she did. She'd seen Gajeel work out, doing several chin-ups at once. She had no idea how he did it. Just one was hard on her. Oh, and now the image of her personal eye candy, topless and doing chin-ups all day long was in her head. She blushed a bit, and then sighed. She missed him. Her eyes filled with determination and she started to crawl through the narrow air vents. She would get back to him, no matter what.

* * *

"Boss, the first wave is comin." Natsu said as they hurried through the empty halls. They all hid inside a room, Natsu and Gray pulling their wives to their sides protectively as Gajeel silently closed the door.

"How long?" Gajeel asked, feeling a bit relieved. The first wave would attack the main gates, and distract Phantom Lord's forces. Any of the remaining members wandering the halls would be pulled into the main room, thus giving their group more freedom to move throughout their base undetected.

"Sixty seconds, boss. Should hear it any second." the pink-haired man responded, listening intently to his ear piece as the information was relayed. A few seconds of breath-holding later, an explosion rocked the building. They waited silently and eventually heard a group of Phantom Lord members rush past. Another couple of seconds went by before Gajeel tentatively opened the door, peeking out to make sure the coast was clear. Satisfied, he motioned for everyone to move out.

"Gray, Natsu, this is where phase two begins." Gajeel told the men in a harsh whisper, surprising them.

"But we're supposed to start that after all the girls are recovered." Gray commented. "What about Levy?"

"Leave Levy to me. I'm going to find her, without fail. You two need to keep your women safe and follow the plan." he insisted with a glare. "Remember, we all need to be out before the third wave starts. If you don't hear from me before then, get the fuck out. But I'm not leaving without Levy." He turned to leave but Juvia stopped him.

"Boss, please." She took off Levy's necklace and handed it to him. "Please. Find Levy and keep her safe. But you stay safe, too."

"I'll try, Juvia." he nodded, taking the necklace and pocketing it. "Now, go!"

* * *

Levy froze as she felt the building shake. What... what was that? She peeked down through a vent and saw a bunch of men running with weapons, shouting out about an attack. Phantom Lord was under attack? She could only think of one group with the man-power to face Phantom Lord. Hope welled up within her. Fairy Tail! They were attacking Phantom Lord! The Don, Gajeel, everyone! They were coming for her, Lucy, and Juvia! She knew they would!

Hopeful and determined, Levy continued on her path down the vents, heading in the direction she thought Lucy and Juvia were being held. She stopped to check where she was every few seconds. She froze with wide eyes when she saw a familiar mess of black hair run past her in the hall below. Gajeel! He was here! She tried to call out to him, but he was too fast and he was already gone, heading in the opposite direction. She tried to turn around and quickly realized it was impossible. She barely had space to crawl; there was no space to turn around at all. With a resigned sigh, she continued down her only path available, praying Gajeel would be able to find her somehow. For now, she was going to make sure her friends were safe!

* * *

Hi everyone! OMG it's been so long since I updated, I am SOOOOO sorry! Hopefully this chapter will be able to tide y'all over for a little bit. Midterms are coming so I'm afraid I might disappear again, if only for a little bit. Please bear with me! Or is it bare? Anyone who knows, please tell me, is it bear or bare?!

Anyways, thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	36. Reunited

**Chapter 36**

Gajeel moved silently through the halls, checking every room diligently in his search for his shrimp. The first wave of Fairy Tail's attack was extremely helpful in drawing most of Phantom Lord's members to the main hall, and Gajeel only had to take out three so far. They never even saw him, and he made sure their bodies were hidden in broom closets or side rooms. He looked at his watch with a scowl. The second wave would start soon, and that would bring more members into the halls. He had to find Levy and find her soon!

He came across a door that was locked, which struck him as odd considering the rest of the rooms were unlocked. Maybe this was where Levy was being held. He easily broke down the door, only to find an empty bedroom with a four poster bed. He was about to leave and continue his search when he spotted something on the dresser. His eyes went wide. That was Levy's headband! Her favorite one, which she always wore with her favorite orange dress. He'd recognize it anywhere! So his shrimp had been here, after all, but where was she now? Why was the door locked if she wasn't here? Unless...

Gajeel saw the open vent within seconds. So... she took a lesson from Lily. He grinned widely at this.

"That's my girl."

* * *

Levy winced as the vent pinched her when she tried to open the cover. It was harder to do from inside the air vent, apparently. Giving one last attempt, she managed to pull the grate up and into the vent. She peered down into the hall below, recognizing the stair she'd been led through earlier that day. If she was right, those stairs led to the cells she'd been held in. Making sure the coast was clear, she slowly eased herself out of the vent before free-falling about eight feet to the ground. The landing jarred her a bit but she was none the worse for wear.

She looked around to make sure nobody was nearby, and then she headed down the stairs, moving as quietly as she could. Only to stop and stare in dismay when she reached the bottom and saw the empty cells. Juvia and Lucy were gone! Were they moved? Maybe... Maybe Fairy Tail rescued them, she tried to tell herself. But she had to be certain. She had to be 100% sure that they weren't here before she'd let herself leave. But that meant searching the entire mansion for them. Hopefully the attack was keeping everyone distracted, but what would she do if someone saw her? All she could do was run. But still... she had to try. She wouldn't leave here without knowing her friends were safe!

Determined, she set out into the main mansion... only to get spotted almost immediately.

"Hey! It's that chick!" a man down the hall shouted, and another agreed with him. "Get her!"

Levy started running as fast as she could. She could hear the men running after her. There were at least three, she determined, and they were gaining on her. She took sharp corners, turning down every hallway she could. She had no idea where she was going! She could only hope to lose the men somehow. She turned down another corner, only to be roughly pulled into a side room, a rough calloused hand covering her mouth as a strong arm wrapped around her to keep her still. The men chasing her ran past the room, oblivious to her struggle as she fought against the man who'd grabbed her. Fearing it was a Phantom Lord member, she pulled her hands up to his arm to try to yank his hand away from her mouth so she could bite him... and then she froze. Studs. Yes. Those were metal studs in the man's arm. There was only one man she knew of that had studs in his arms! Tears of relief started to fill her eyes.

"Shhh." his voice came in a very low whisper in her ear. He eased up his iron grip on her when she stopped fighting, and it turned into more of a warm hug from behind. He let go of her mouth in favor of wrapping his other arm around her.

"Gaj..." she choked on a quiet sob as she tried to turn around. He loosened his grip to let her face him, bringing a hand up to wipe away a tear that escaped her eye.

"Shh, it's okay, shrimp." he pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling her flush against him with a strong hug. "I'm so glad you're alright. These bastards are gonna pay for this, trust me."

"H-how did you f-find me...?"

"I was lookin for ya. Cleared out this room and was about to leave when I saw ya running. Figured someone wasn't far behind, and I was right." he buried his nose in her hair with a soft sigh. "I found the room you were in. Found the vent. I'm so proud of you, Lev."

"G-Gajeel... Lucy and Juvia, they're here somewhere..."

"I know. We found 'em. They're with their husbands." he assured her with a light squeeze. The amount of relief she felt when he said this was extraordinary. She leaned against him and buried her face in his chest, thanking Mavis that her friends were safe. "Lev, we gotta move. Second wave is about to hit and it's gonna get real hard to get out of here when that happens." Gajeel transitioned back into work mode, stepping back from her to level her with a hard stare. "I love you, Levy, but I need you to understand that I can only protect you if you listen to me. Don't question me, just do as I say. Okay?" She nodded, wiping her eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pistol, holding it out to her. "I don't want you to have to use this. But if it comes down to it, you need to realize that it's them or us. Okay?"

"Okay." She nodded, shakily taking the gun. He showed her quickly how the safety works, and then he pulled out his own, much larger pistol. He looked over his tiny fiancee, who'd gone through so much and who had changed so much since they met. Hell, she'd changed since the last time he saw her. She would have never accepted that pistol just twenty-four hours ago. She still didn't want it, clearly, but she took it. He spoke the truth when he said he didn't want her to have to use it. He really didn't. But the second wave would happen in just a few minutes, and there was no way to tell what would happen when the second wave hit.

Gajeel put his hand to his ear piece. "Salamander, Ice-head, I got the shrimp. What's the status on phase two?"

 _"North side, ready to go. Same for the south side."_ Gray's voice came into his ear. _"I'm heading to the West exit, and Natsu is planting the central bomb now. Plan is to meet at the west exit."_

 _"Just finished in the center. Lucy took out some strays. They're starting to fall back, boss."_ Natsu's voice came then. _"Told the second wave to hurry. We need to get out asap."_

"Roger. Heading west." Gajeel confirmed, glancing at Levy who was gripping her pistol nervously, keeping it aimed down like he told her. "We gotta hurry, shrimp. You stay on my ass." he told her firmly. She just nodded and watched as he slowly opened the door and peeked out into the hallway. It was clear. He nodded to her once, and hurried into the hall. She followed quickly, keeping up with him as they ran through the empty halls. Around corners they ran. Gajeel pulled her down a smaller hallway, clearly knowing better than she did where they were going. Finally they saw a door leading outside, and Levy felt like they were finally home-free...

And then a large hand came up around her throat, pulling her back against a massive body. She cried out in shock before being silenced as the hand around her neck began to squeeze. "Silence, my dear. I wouldn't want to break that pretty neck of yours." a familiar voice brought frightened tears to her eyes. Gajeel was fast to turn around at the sound of her cry, only to freeze when he saw a very large man who matched Juvia's description of Phantom Lord's new boss.

Brain.

* * *

I'm so evil, leaving more cliffhangers. But hey you guys got another update and it was fast this time! Yay!

Please, please, tell me what you think. Give me suggestions. Especially now cause I realize I have an oversight ;o; Look down at the bottom if you want to know what it is. If you want to be blissfully unaware that your lovely author is human, just go on to the next chapter T.T

Anywho, thanks for reading. BTW I have a story idea in progress and would like some opinions on it. If you would like a preview of it, please PM me. Warning, it's a bit controversial and potentially has some triggers...

Ja, matta!

-Everythingnerd12

Sooooo... I... I don't really have a good reason... yet... why Brain wants Levy so much... help T.T


	37. Home

**Chapter 37**

 _Last Time, on Guns and Roses..._

 _"We gotta hurry, shrimp. You stay on my ass." he told her firmly. She just nodded and watched as he slowly opened the door and peeked out into the hallway. It was clear. He nodded to her once, and hurried into the hall. She followed quickly, keeping up with him as they ran through the empty halls. Around corners they ran. Gajeel pulled her down a smaller hallway, clearly knowing better than she did where they were going. Finally they saw a door leading outside, and Levy felt like they were finally home-free..._

 _And then a large hand came up around her throat, pulling her back against a massive body. She cried out in shock before being silenced as the hand around her neck began to squeeze. "Silence, my dear. I wouldn't want to break that pretty neck of yours." a familiar voice brought frightened tears to her eyes. Gajeel was fast to turn around at the sound of her cry, only to freeze when he saw a very large man who matched Juvia's description of Phantom Lord's new boss._

 _Brain._

* * *

Gajeel aimed his gun at Brain's head, gritting his teeth furiously at the man who'd done harm to his family and put his girl in danger. He didn't know this man other than by his actions... but he knew he _loathed_ him. He didn't see a weapon on the large man, which put him slightly at ease, but he did have Levy in a very compromising position.

"Let her go right now, you bastard!" Gajeel snarled angrily at the large, grinning man that had his hands on Levy. Levy was struggling to breathe, as Brain's grip on her barely allowed her any oxygen. It was just enough to keep her conscious.

"I'd look at who has the advantage before making demands, you little punk." Brain returned with an evil grin, tightening his grip on Levy's throat. The sounds of her choking and struggling for air made Gajeel's blood boil, but he kept his gun raised.

"You risked too much to get her, just to kill her." he pointed out, much to Brain's amusement.

"I risked nothing. Those men that died to get her were mere pawns. This whole guild... they're all just worthless pawns." he chuckled darkly. "And you presume too much to think the girl is essential to me. She's nothing more than a pawn, herself. I can do without her. Can you?" His grip tightened further, to the point Levy couldn't even inhale anymore.

She was starting to turn blue, her eyes filling with tears as fear and pain filled her being. Her vision was beginning to fade when she heard a heavy thud. Almost instantly, air rushed into her lungs. She gasped and coughed as breath returned to her, and her vision returned enough to see that Gajeel had dropped his gun, hence the thud.

"Don't hurt her." Gajeel's voice was vulnerable and pleading. Brain grinned wickedly, easing his grip on Levy's neck to let her breathe easily. He may not need her, per sei, but she would make attaining his goals much easier. He didn't want to kill her, if it could be avoided.

"That's what I thought." Brain grinned at Gajeel. "Now stand aside."

Gajeel grit his teeth as he stared at Brain and Levy. This wasn't like that time with Jose. This man was ruthless and smart, compared to Jose's arrogance and idiocy. He would be watching for surprises, and he would be keeping that tight hold on Levy's neck. There was no way to get the drop on this guy... which left Gajeel feeling trapped and Levy in extreme danger.

He looked to Levy, trying to assure her in some way that everything would be okay, that he'd think of something. But he was surprised to see her giving him a hard stare. She stared at him intently before glancing down and to the side purposefully, then returning to hold the stare. He glanced slightly, trying not to make it obvious, and fought off the urge to make his eyes go wide.

Levy still had her gun. He'd thought she'd been holding it the whole time, and dropped it when Brain grabbed her, but she'd tucked it into the belt of her dress. It was a small pistol, and a thick belt, so it was hard to see. But it was there. And Brain didn't know about it.

"I said, _stand aside_." Brain repeated with emphasis, once more choking Levy. Gajeel couldn't hold back his angry growl, but he obeyed, stepping to one side of the hall. Brain eased his grip, then dragged Levy past him slowly, always facing Gajeel. Meanwhile Gajeel was wracking his brain for an idea. Some way to get that gun or distract Brain. He just needed one second.

 _I've gotta have something on me. Anything. Fuck, Gajeel, think!_ he snarled internally. The only thing he had on him was Levy's necklace. _It'll have to do._

Faster than he'd ever moved before, he grabbed the necklace out of his pocket and chucked it at Brain's head. It hit him square between the eyes with enough force to make his head toss back. Gajeel was instantly running towards them, but he realized to late that there was too much distance. Brain would recover way before he got there.

That's when something unbelievable happened.

The instant Brain's grip loosened even slightly, Levy managed to turn around in the big man's arms to face him, grabbing her gun as she moved. By the time Brain's head returned to its original position, there was a pistol just under his jaw, cocked and ready to fire. Brain's eyes widened in shock as he felt the cool metal of the pistol against his neck and jaw.

"Fucking shoot!" Gajeel couldn't stop himself from shouting at Levy. Fuck, he didn't want her to be the one pulling that trigger, but if she didn't kill him now, there's no telling how much worse things will get. This was their only chance at a surprise attack.

Levy didn't need him to tell her twice. She knew. She knew this man was too evil to let live. She knew this was her only way to return home with Gajeel. If Brain got the upper hand again, neither of them would return to Fairy Tail alive. She knew. It was him or them. She knew. She _knew_...

The gunshot echoed through her very being.

* * *

Phantom Lord was gone. Its members, killed or in custody of Fairy Tail. Its headquarters, a pile of burning rubble thanks to several bombs. Its leader, dead and left to burn. There were no more members who could rise up and cause history to repeat itself. No more crazed leaders wanting to start wars with Fairy Tail. There was no more Phantom Lord.

End of story.

Gajeel delicately carried his girl in his arms, holding her close to his chest as her arms were around his neck and her legs were around his waist. She'd hugged him and not stopped, once Brain's body hit the floor. She refused to let go. He was fine with that, and had adjusted accordingly to carry her this way, taking her far, far away from the burning building that had been her short-lived prison.

Levy was holding up fairly well, for having been through what she had. She'd cried only a little bit, for the horrible act she'd committed, but she knew it was him or her. Him or Gajeel. And he was far too evil to leave alive. She knew that. And she knew what being part of the mafia entailed. She'd been trying to hide from her new life in the mansion, surrounded by guards and loved ones. Hide from the facts. She was in too deep, knew too much, was too important... she was marrying the next Don. She knew she'd have to kill someone one day. She tried to deny it but she'd always known it was true. _She always knew it would happen one day..._

Now she clung to Gajeel, refusing to let go. He just held her close, knowing she needed his comfort more than anything right now. He carried her the entire way to the rendezvous spot with the rest of the family, Natsu and Gray with their wives walking just behind him.

As soon as the group was visible to the family, and it was clear all the former hostages were safe, Levy especially, loud cheers and cries rang out throughout the large gathering of Fairy Tail members. The sound startled Levy out of her stupor, and she slowly pulled her face away from Gajeel's neck. Her eyes widened and filled with tears as she saw hundreds of Fairy Tail members around them, all cheering with joy that their future boss and his fianceé were safe.

She saw Metallicana make his way through the crowd, members parting eagerly to allow the Don through. He stopped just shy of Gajeel and the group, giving them all a genuine, happy smile. She'd never seen his eyes so full of emotion.

"I am glad you are safe. All of you." he said firmly. "Our family is whole again. Welcome home."

* * *

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I'm soooo sorryyyyyy!

Guys I for real didn't forget about you! I swears! I was working all winter and then my laptop broke right as I got around my writer's block! It's still not fixed but I've at least got access to school computers now.

Please forgive me! T.T

And please lemme know what you thought of this chapter.

Updates will be more regular now, and I know it feels like we are getting towards the end but trust me, I've got more planned. This is just the end of one arch, if you will. What will our heroes face next?! Lol but for real, lot's planned. I just need to get it out of my brain.

Anyways, thanks for reading! With love!

-Everythingnerd12


	38. Arch-5 Rebuild

**Chapter 38**

"Well, Doctor McGarden, nothing's broken. You might have some slight swelling and pain over the next few days, but you'll be just fine." the family's doctor told her as he looked at her charts. Levy had thought he would be stationed at the mansion for easy access, but he was at the hospital this whole time. He was the doctor all Fairy Tail members saw for injuries, and would now be the only doctor she saw, herself. "I want to get some fluids and antibiotics in you, but you'll be free to leave after that." he assured her.

"Thank you, Doctor Mashima." Levy said softly. He just smiled and walked off. A nurse came in and set up an IV drip for her before leaving her alone in the room with Gajeel, who'd been watching diligently over his tiny fiancee. He was relieved that she was okay, all things considered. He'd feared something might have broken when Brain choked her. He hadn't held back at all. Dark purple bruises covered her neck, and it was obvious where his fingers had been, because of the coloration. Gajeel hated looking at it, as it made him wish there was some way they could have gotten Brain alive... so he could kill him in the most painful fashion he could think of. But he knew it was better that he was dead. Even if he deserved a much more painful end.

"Holding up okay, shrimp?" Gajeel asked softly as he moved to stand by the bed she was resting in. She looked so small and frail in the hospital gown she wore. They'd been thorough in examining her, making sure she absolutely was okay. No signs of injury anywhere aside from her head and neck, thankfully. Levy looked up at him and gave him a tiny smile.

"I will be okay." she said quietly, her voice a bit hoarse. "It's just... been a really long day." Had it really been only twenty hours since Phantom Lord took her? It seemed longer, seemed almost like a lifetime ago. But it had only been twenty hours since the attack on the mansion. Fairy Tail had acted faster than it ever had before, in its counterattack on Phantom Lord, and Levy was amazed at the family's true power.

"I feel that." Gajeel sighed softly. He ran his hand through her hair before gently cupping her face. There was a small gash and dark bruising around her left eye, and he was mindful of it. He just needed to touch her, to assure himself she was really there. Mavis, he'd thought he'd lost her, there for a bit. Surely Phantom Lord had intended to kill her; that's what they all thought, after all. Nobody expected her to have family there... or that her family was orchestrating everything. All Gajeel knew was they had a grudge against her... and he'd been terrified at the thought of finding her dead. But now she was here, she was real... she was beaten and tired, but she was alive. There was no describing his relief.

They heard a soft knock at the door, and Gajeel begrudgingly went to answer it. Probably someone wanting to visit Levy, maybe one of the girls. He answered the door, and despite his desire for some alone time with Levy, Gajeel couldn't stop himself from smiling at who the unannounced guest was. "Come on in. I know she'll be happy to see you." he chuckled, stepping aside to let the guest into the room.

Levy's eyes went wide as she saw her guest. He stood there in a hospital gown, leaning heavily on one crutch and pulling an IV system with his free hand. He looked battered, covered head to toe in bandages, but he was really alive...

"Lily!" she sobbed as the large man gave her a wide smile. "You're alive!" There was no stopping her tears. She'd thought she'd seen him die, gunned down in the mansion as he tried to protect her. But here he was, battered but alive. He walked over to her bed, and she quickly hugged him, letting happy tears pour from her eyes.

"I could say the same for you, Miss Levy." he laughed gently. "I had feared the worst, when I woke up here and was told what happened. I am so glad you are okay." he said as he gently pat her head. They stayed that way, Levy hugging him and crying, and Lily gently patting her head with his good hand... until a nurse hurried into the room, panting heavily for air like she'd been running all over.

"Sir, please, you can't just get out of bed and walk off like that." the nurse said through her heavy breathing. "You need to be resting."

"Oi, Lil, you didn't even tell anyone you were coming here?" Gajeel chuckled. Levy looked up at the big man with teary eyes.

"Lily, please go back to bed. I don't want you to push yourself, just to see me..." she sniffed softly. Lily sighed heavily but gave her a smile.

"Very well." he sighed. He looked to the nurse with an apologetic smile. "I am deeply sorry for causing trouble. Could you lead me back to my room, please?"

A few seconds later, Levy and Gajeel were alone again. Levy wiped her eyes dry, still overwhelmed with relief that Lily was okay. Gajeel checked his phone and gave a soft sigh, a small smile playing on his lips. "Gray says the girls are just fine. Juvia is being discharged. Lucy had a small fracture on her eye socket, but is otherwise doing fine." Gajeel relayed the information he saw in the text Gray sent him.

"I'm so glad everyone is okay." Levy sniffed softly as the last of her tears faded. Gajeel had told her earlier that, aside from the surprise mansion attack, they hadn't lost a single member in the attack on Phantom Lord. Phantom Lord's members were, apparently, terrible shots. They had numbers, which counted for a lot, but they were still no match for Fairy Tail's trained and experienced fighters. The worst they suffered were a handful of injuries from stray bullets, but none of them were very severe.

"Me too, shrimp." Gajeel smiled lightly. "And they're all glad _you_ are okay. I don't think I've seen my old man worry over a woman this much since ma was alive." he chuckled gently. Levy giggled softly at this, just imagining the cold, ruthless Don fretting over the safety of a tiny woman. It was a funny thought, indeed.

* * *

Levy sighed softly as she looked in the mirror. The deep purple and yellow bruises on her neck were obvious from a fair distance. No amount of make-up could hide them. She'd resigned herself to staying mostly indoors while she healed.

With the mansion in repair and Levy no longer in immediate danger, Gajeel and Levy had moved back into the safehouse. It was nice to be away from the very loud, very busy mansion and family. The safehouse was nice and quiet, and it allowed for Levy to recover in peace. She just wished she saw more of Gajeel.

Gajeel was constantly in and out of the house, trying his best to help the whole family recover from this mess. He was taking on a lot of the Don's duties, as Metallicana was focusing on repairs and fortifications. Gajeel had taken to focusing on the business end of operations, as they still needed to keep up their source of income. He assigned jobs, took care of conflicts, and took on a larger role in the council.

He was doing quite well in stepping into the role of Don, even if that wasn't his title yet. The council had faith in his abilities, for when the Don did finally step down. Metallicana was quite proud of his son, not to mention thankful for the extra help.

But all that work made it so that Levy barely saw him anymore. He was always at the mansion, doing paperwork or resolving important issues. On top of that, there were jobs that required his particular skills, so he was doing those, too. When he came back to the safe house, it was to sleep, and it was usually after Levy had already gone to bed. He was always gone before she woke up.

She sighed again, her heart aching. She knew Gajeel was just doing his job and making sure the family would be okay, and she knew all too well how easy it was to just get lost in all the work you have to do. But was it so selfish of her to want some alone time with her fiance? Was it selfish of her to want him to forget about work for a while? She missed him, so much it hurt. But what was she to do?

* * *

Gajeel sighed as he looked at the papers before him. He knew it was such a big stack only because the war backed everything up. Still... how the hell did his old man manage to do all this paperwork along with everything else?! He made it look so easy! Thank fuck the old man made him go get a business and accounting degree or he'd be screwed. As it was, he'd already spent several weeks bringing the giant stack down to the size it was now... and there was still more to go, with more coming in every day. He was going to lose his mind, doing all this mindless pencil pushing.

Someone knocked on the door as he was working on the papers. Without looking up, he told them to come in. Whoever it was entered, then took a seat in front of his desk. When he finally looked up, he was more than surprised to see old Makarov sitting there, patiently waiting for Gajeel to spare a moment. Gajeel raised a studded brow at the old man.

"Something I can help ya with, Makarov?" he knew better than to disrespect the small but powerful man, even if he was the Don's son and his future boss. _If he even lives that long_ , Gajeel mused before shaking that thought away. The little old man, heedless of Gajeel's internal musings, smiled kindly at him.

"I've come to offer advice, young man." Makarov told him. When Gajeel just stared at him, he continued. "I've advised your father for many years, as you know. Hence my title of Adviser."

"I know." Gajeel sighed, praying this didn't lead to a rambling lecture somehow. He had too much work to do, to be listening to this old man ramble on. As much as he admired Makarov, he was just too busy right now.

"My advice to you, and heed it well boy," Makarov said, looking him right in the eye, "focusing on the family is important. Work is important. But don't get so sucked into work that you ignore the important ones around you. It doesn't matter how much work there is to do. You are a leader in this family. Delegate tasks, take a break, and focus on what's really important." At the end of his spiel, Makarov hopped down from the chair and walked to the door. He stopped at the door and looked back at Gajeel, seeing that he was contemplating his words.

"Little Miss Levy seems awfully lonely as of late." He supplied, hoping it would help Gajeel understand. When he saw recognition flash in Gajeel's eyes, then remorse, he knew his work was done. Makarov walked off with a smile, giving Lily a wink on his way out of the mansion.

Gajeel sat there a while, thinking on his words. The old man was right. When was the last time he saw Levy? Well, last night. But awake? Mavis, too long. He'd been burying himself in his work, trying to help his father, help the family, as they recovered from the war. But what was the reason they even fought that war?! To get Levy back! And where was she now? Not with him. No, she was at the safe house. Alone. Missing the fuck out of him, he knew. Gajeel sighed, running a hang through his hair as he stared at the stack of paper again.

Didn't they have accountants in the family? Didn't they have business managers? Leaders? They did, in excess. So why the fuck was he trying to do this alone?

Gajeel huffed at his own stupidity. _Of course_ his old man didn't do all this by himself! It was too much, even for him! _Damn that old man, why didn't he tell me? Probably wanted me to figure this shit out on my own. Sounds like something he would do_ , Gajeel grumbled as he set about making several phone calls. _Just wait a little longer, Levy. I'll make it up to ya..._

* * *

Woo! Another chapter out, and kinda quickly this time too! I know this one's a bit boring, it's more of a transitional chapter, I guess. But anyways, tell me what you think so far. I'm so sad, not a lot of people are commenting! T.T I can't improve if ya'll don't tell me what you like/dislike!

Please, please say something! I take constructive criticism ya know! And I love, love, LOVE happy comments from happy readers!

AND! WHY did nobody seem to care that I supposedly killed off Lily?! Literally nobody commented on it! I mean, it was always the plan to bring him back, but I had been hoping it would have been a dramatic enough event to get a comment of some kind. I'm sad T.T

Jk.

Anywho, thanks for reading, like always!

-Everythingnerd12


	39. Reconciliation

**Chapter 39**

Levy hummed softly to herself as she read the only book she'd found in the safe house. It was a bit boring, some sort of sappy love novel, but it was more entertaining than doing nothing all day. Everyone was so busy these days, trying to help the family recover. She wanted to help, too, but nobody would let her.

"You should rest, you've been through alot," They would say. Or, "Just take some time for yourself," or "We've got it covered, you should be focusing on healing."

 _I'm already healed, already recovered. Why can't they see that? I just want to help_ , Levy pouted, flipping a page. Already her bruises were gone and the cut around her eye was almost healed. But nobody would let her help.

She would have asked Gajeel, knowing he would let her help... but she barely even saw him anymore. She knew he slept with her in their bed, but he always came home late and was always gone before she woke up. She only knew he was there by the messed up sheets on his side. Plus she'd woken up a few times to find herself wrapped up in his arms. But he was never home when she was awake, during the day. She missed him... she understood why he was gone so much, but she missed him.

The sound of the front door opening startled her. She jumped a bit in surprise, quickly looking up from her book. Surely it was nobody dangerous, as Natsu was once more watching the grounds. But who on earthland would be coming here in the middle of the day?!

Levy's eyes widened as Gajeel walked into the living room, hands tucked behind his back. He looked around and found Levy on the couch, curled up with a book and a blanket. He smiled at the surprised look on her face. She had not been expecting him at all.

"Gajeel? Why are you back so early?" Levy asked as she stared at her fiance in awe. He stared at her a moment before letting out a soft sigh, then giving her a charming grin.

"I realized somethin today, shrimp." he hummed as he approached her. It only took a few large steps for him to be standing in front of her. "I haven't see you awake in weeks. I haven't kissed ya in weeks. Haven't made ya smile or laugh, haven't seen ya blush or get angry... in weeks. And that's... not okay." he met her eyes with a firm stare, taking a deep breath as he did so.

"I'm sorry, Levy. I've been neglecting ya, and it took someone else tellin me ta realize how my absence was affecting ya." he moved his hands in front, and held out a bouquet of a dozen roses, startling Levy, who gasped in surprise. "I'm so sorry, Levy. Please forgive me."

"Gajeel..." Levy sobbed, tears freely falling from her eyes. She bypassed the bouquet, and threw herself into his arms with a soft cry. He dropped the flowers onto the couch so he could wrap his arms around her and hold her close. He buried his nose in her hair and just let her cry it out. He knew she was hurt, knew she was lonely. It was his fault, and he'd do anything to fix it. For now, he just held her.

"Yer the most important thing in the world to me, Levy. I know I ain't good at showin it, and I know that hurts ya, sometimes." Gajeel sighed into her hair as her crying was drying down. "But you mean everything to me, and don't you ever think otherwise. Ya might have ta smack some sense into me sometimes, but that doesn't mean ya aren't my whole world. Cause you are."

"You dummy." Levy sniffled against his chest. "I know all that. I know why you were gone... I understand." She looked up at him with watery eyes and tried to give him a smile... but failed and resorted to burying her face in his chest again so he wouldn't see her break. "The family comes first..."

"No, Levy." Gajeel said firmly, putting his hands on her shoulders and pushing her back so he could see her face. "You come first. The family is important, yes, but the family can wait. They can function without me for a while. But you need me here, with you. It's okay to need me, Levy. It's okay to be selfish and hog me to yerself for a while. Cause you will always come first, to me." he swore to her, staring her firmly in the eye.

As much as he hated seeing her break down and cry, this time it was necessary. After his talk with Makarov, Lily had spoken to him. Confirmed that Levy was extremely lonely, but that she felt selfish for wanting to spend time with him when there was so much work he had to do. Gajeel knew she would feel guilty if he came home just for her... but she needed to understand that she shouldn't feel that way. And the relieved tears filling her eyes now told him he'd gotten the message across. She hugged him again, letting out quiet sobs as she cried into his chest, and he held her close.

He really needed to make this up to her...

* * *

"You're still here..." Levy breathed out as she woke up to find herself still wrapped up in Gajeel's arms. She'd cried herself to sleep last night, and Gajeel had simply held her through it all. He'd taken her to bed and gone to sleep with her. Now, as the sun's rays hit her eyes and woke her up, Levy was realizing that her fiance was still there. He hadn't left for work. No, he was even still asleep, which was quite rare. He was always awake before her, barring any nightmare, of course. Levy's eyes softened as she realized that must mean he was utterly exhausted.

It was strange, to see him sleep. He looked so peaceful and relaxed, unlike when he was awake. His hair hung in his face and he was snoring softly, completely out of it. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her firmly to his chest, though one hand was planted firmly on her ass. He squeezed it on occasion in his sleep, making Levy blush just a bit.

She tried to get out of bed, gently prying his arms from her. It was harder than she'd expected. His arms were quite heavy, and he didn't seem to want to let her go. She managed to wiggle herself to freedom at last, and she hurried into the bathroom to take care of some business and take a quick shower.

The sound of the shower starting up a few minutes later was what officially woke Gajeel. He'd woken up slightly at the shrimp trying to squirm her way out of his arms. Figuring she had to pee or something, he'd set her free and gone back to sleep. Fuck, he was exhausted. This was his first time sleeping in in years, and did he need it or what? But then he heard the shower start up, and he realized the shrimp was gonna shower without him. _Not on my watch_ , he grinned to himself as he opened his eyes. He forced his tired body to work with him, having years of experience in working despite exhaustion, and he hurried to the bathroom.

He waited by the door, listening to see if she was already in. He heard her step into the shower, and he made his move, walking silently into the bathroom with a grin. He moved stealthily, easily getting into the shower without detection. Quickly, he wrapped an arm around her waist, his other hand coming up to her mouth to silence the scream he knew was coming. She jumped and screamed instantly, her scream muffled by his hand. His laughter made her relax, as she realized who he was, but she turned around in his arms to glare at him.

"You jerk! You gave me a heart attack!" she smacked his chest with an angry huff. He just grinned and took her face in his hands.

"Yer so beautiful when yer angry." he chuckled softly before kissing her. She huffed against him again, but it didn't take long for her to give in to the kiss. She always melted for him. He pulled back after a while, grinning at the slightly dazed look she had on her face. "So beautiful." Then he sighed softly and pulled his blushing girl into his arms. "I really am sorry, shrimp, fer everything."

"I know you are. It's okay." she mumbled against him, leaning into his embrace. "I forgive you."

"Still... lemme make it up to you, Lev." Gajeel pulled back to look at her. "I'm all yours, til you get sick of me and send me back to work. Anything you wanna do, anywhere ya wanna go?" Levy fidgeted a bit, thinking.

"Er, well... we haven't been on a real date in a really long time." she said quietly. Gajeel grinned.

"Perfect, we'll start with that." he kissed her forehead at this. "How'd you like to go back to that one place? Where I took ya for our first date." Levy's eyes went wide at this and she looked up at him in surprise.

"I... I liked it, Gajeel, but it's so expensive... a-and I can't even read the menu." she told him.

"So? I can read it for ya... and you know very well I can afford it. Besides, yer worth every penny." he gave her a charming grin that had her melting just a bit inside. Still...

"I don't have anything to wear to a place like that, Gajeel." she frowned. "Most of my clothes were destroyed in the attack..."

"I will buy ya a new dress, then. Simple." he chuckled. "A new wardrobe, even."

"But..."

"Levy, let me spoil you." Gajeel sighed softly as he pressed his thumb to her lips to silence her. "Please."

"Gajeel... you can't buy my love..."

"I know that." he gave a wry smile. "Yer not that kind of girl. And I love that about you. But _I_ want to spoil you." Levy just stared at him before giving a soft sigh and nodding.

"Alright, Mr. Softy." she teased. He just grinned and leaned down to be eye level with her.

"Only for you, baby." he winked, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Let's shower before it gets cold, and then we can go shopping."

* * *

Levy felt nostalgic. It was just like their first date. Virgo helped her with her hair and makeup. Then she'd gone downstairs to find Gajeel looking dashing as ever with a blazer and a dress shirt that matched her beautiful silver dress.

"You look beautiful." Gajeel grinned at her as he took her hand. He looked her over unashamedly, which made her blush as usual. "You just need a necklace to complete it." Gajeel hummed then, and Levy pouted a bit. The necklace he'd given her so long ago, which she'd loved and never taken off, was broken and left behind during the attack on Phantom Lord, when Gajeel threw it at Brain.

Gajeel suddenly grinned and pulled a small pouch out of his pocket, handing it to her. Levy looked at him with a raised brow before opening the pouch. Her eyes went wide at what was inside, and she quickly pulled it out to confirm it. It was her necklace! But... something was off... the dragon looked similar, but it was definitely a different pendant.

"It's not the original," Gajeel said as he took it and placed it around her neck, "but I hope its a good replacement. Everyone that sees it will still know what it means."

"Gajeel, I don't care that it's different. It's from you... and that's all that matters." Levy smiled sweetly at him before turning to admire her new necklace. It was still a black dragon with red eyes, but this one was poised in a roaring position, and the tail curled around under it in a half circle, almost reaching the beast's snout. Its wings were spread out wide behind it, and it looked fierce yet elegant. It went very well with her silver dress.

"Glad you like it, then." Gajeel smiled. He extended his hand to her with a charming grin. "Come on, shrimp. We have a reservation to keep."

They went to the very same restaurant they'd had their first date at. Once more, Levy was in awe as all eyes were on them the instant they entered the building. Everyone was scrambling to make sure the future leader of Fairy Tail, and his future wife, were happy, even the patrons. They were seated promptly, then quickly left alone to look over the menu.

"It's just like our first date." Levy marveled quietly. Gajeel flashed her a grin.

"Sure is. Nice, eh?"

"Yea." she smiled back. It was nice, feeling nostalgic this way. There was the same bewilderment at the way they were treated and the cost of the food, but getting to spend time with Gajeel like this was wonderful.

"What are you in the mood for, shrimp?" Gajeel's question snapped her out of her memories. She blinked at him as his question registered in her mind.

"Um... I'm not quite sure, actually." she hummed. "Surprise me?" Gajeel just chuckled at this and nodded.

"You got it, Lev. Want to get dessert this time?"

"That would be lovely." she smiled at him.

Dinner seemed to fly by. Gajeel ordered her a wonderful salmon dish that had her mouth watering the moment she laid eyes on it. It was delicious! And dessert was fantastic. She didn't even know what was in the dessert, but it was so good. A glass of wine and a long talk later found them walking back to the car with happy smiles, hand in hand.

Gajeel suddenly got a wicked grin on his face and, before Levy knew it, her back was pressed against a brick wall and she was caged between Gajeel's arms. She looked up at her fiance with a blush and questioning eyes.

"How's this for nostalgia?" he chuckled gently, leaning forward to press a sweet kiss to her lips. "Ya know... I was beyond nervous, when I asked ya to be mine, back then on this very spot." he admitted as he pulled away. "You got no idea, Lev. I think I'd fallen for ya already."

"Really?" she asked with wide eyes. He nodded.

"That night, that date... fuck, Levy, I already knew ya were the one for me. I was so fucking worried you'd say no." he breathed. "Ya had every reason to, ya know. I'm a dangerous man, living a dangerous life, and anyone associated with me gets drawn into all that. You knew that. You had other options... and not that I'm complaining... but why the hell did you say yes?"

"I... Gajeel, I think I fell for you, too." Levy told him with a small blush. "By the end of the date, all I could think about was how perfect you are. A-and that made me think. If I said no, I would have been walking away from a really great relationship. And I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. That... that's why I said yes. And I'm so glad I did."

"Even after all the danger, after everything that's happened?" he questioned softly. Levy just nodded.

"Gajeel, saying yes back then was the best decision I ever made." she told him seriously. "I can't even think of life without you. I love you so, so much." She was silenced with another kiss, this time a deeper one. She gasped cutely in surprise before giving in and eagerly returning the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. Gajeel pulled her away from the wall so he could wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

"I love you," he breathed when they finally parted. "So fucking much, Levy. I know I ain't been there for ya lately, but I swear that's gonna change. I love you so much, and I want you by my side forever."

"I will be there, Gajeel." Levy promised with a gentle smile. "By your side. Always and forever." Gajeel smiled at this and rested his forehead against hers.

"Always and forever."

* * *

I finally got my butt to a computer to finish this for you guys. Sorry about the delay, at least it wasn't months this time! I kind of don't have my laptop right now so updating is hard cause I have to find time to get to a computer. And this chapter was uploaded with the fanfiction app, hence the weird formatting which I will fix later. (Edit: Have fixed, but lemme know if I missed anything)

Anyways, my laptop is in the shop, so I should have it back in about 2 weeks. Then expect regular updates. Yay!

Please, please tell me what you guys think! More reviews equals more motivation to get another chapter out lol.

Like always, thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	40. Our Love

_A/N: reader warning: this chapter is definitely rated M. That's all I'm saying. Enjoy..._

 **Chapter 40**

It was very late by the time Gajeel and Levy returned home from their date. Levy was still smiling, much to Gajeel's pleasure. He never wanted to see her so lonely or sad like she'd been just 24 hours ago. The fact that he'd made her smile again made him extremely happy.

They were silent as they set about getting ready for bed, but it was an easy, comfortable silence. Gajeel hopped in the shower while Levy changed. He heard her come into the bathroom a while later, as he was finishing his shower, so he poked his head outside to see what she was doing. She was standing in front of the mirror, taking the pins out of her hair, then wiping her makeup off. The pajamas she wore were cute and pink, one of the sets Gajeel had bought her earlier that day.

Turning off the shower, Gajeel quickly dried himself and stepped out with the towel around his waist. He saw Levy staring at him through the mirror, a cute blush on her cheeks as she visibly looked him over. She never outright said it... but he knew she loved how he looked.

Gajeel flashed her a wicked grin through the mirror as he approached her, a wonderful idea coming to mind. She tried to act like she was still cleaning the makeup off her face, but he saw through it. She was just flustered at getting caught staring.

"Missed a spot, shrimp." Gajeel hummed with a grin as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her small waist.

"Eh? Where?" Levy asked quietly, trying not to meet his eyes through the mirror. He chuckled softly and placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Right here." he grinned, placing a kiss to her neck. She gasped cutely and blushed as he sucked and bit at her neck, leaving a trail of red marks over her creamy white skin. His hands began to wander, and Levy moaned softly as they slid beneath her night shirt to cup her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs.

"Gaj-" she choked on a gasp when he bit her a bit too roughly. He kissed the spot in an apology before switching to the other side of her neck to repeat his actions there. One of his hands left her breast to slide beneath her pants and panties.

Levy mewled softly as she felt his fingers slide along her folds. Her hands gripped at the sink in front of her tightly as he rubbed against her little pleasure button. And then he slid a finger inside of her, and she gave a soft cry. Gajeel grinned against her neck as she moaned and squirmed against him, loving how his fingers moved inside of her. Already she was close, so very close.

"Look at me." Gajeel demanded, his voice a seductive rumble in her ear. Levy found herself unable to deny him, and she met his eyes through the mirror. He grinned wickedly at her, his eyes never leaving hers. "I want you to see yourself cum, Levy. Don't you dare look away." he ordered, making her shiver at the demanding tone. He was usually so sweet when he touched her, where did this come from? She... she liked it... and Gajeel's pleased grin told her he knew she did.

Levy found herself watching her reflection as Gajeel's fingers moved inside of her. She saw how flushed she was, how her eyes were at half mast from the pleasure, how her mouth hung open as small cries escaped her. She saw Gajeel watching, too, his eyes full of hunger and lust as he took in the sight of her. She was so close, so close... Gajeel bit at her neck again, and it was her undoing. Levy watched herself as she came, letting out a blissful cry as pleasure washed over her.

"Fuck, that's hot, shrimp." Gajeel groaned as he watched her come down from her high. He loved seeing her face flush from pleasure, her chest heaving as she caught her breath, and the glistening sheen of sweat on her brow. Her eyes met his through the mirror again, and he groaned openly at how the lust still showing in her eyes affected him.

Without another word, Gajeel scooped his little fianceè up and carried her into the bedroom. Levy squeaked as she was gently tossed onto the bed. She turned those beautiful wide eyes to him as he crawled over her, heedless of his towel falling from his hips.

"I'm nowhere near done with you, shrimp." Gajeel licked his lips as he stared down at her. She flushed, shivering pleasantly at his hungry words.

The next thing she knew, she was being kissed passionately. She moaned into his mouth, kissing him back eagerly as his hands roamed over her body. She didn't even flinch as he ripped her pajama top off, physically tearing the fabric off of her. The show of strength only made her shiver pleasantly against him.

Gajeel's hands playing with her breasts had her moaning against him. He grinned against her lips before pulling back, only to attack her neck again with hot kisses and nips. He kissed a burning trail down her neck and chest before taking a nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting at her with a groan. Levy mewled at his ministrations, arching her back and pressing her breasts further into his hand and mouth. He chuckled at her enthusiasm and rewarded her with a sharp bite that had her shuddering in pleasure.

After a time, he began to make his way down her body again, leaving mark after mark on her ivory skin. He reached the top of her pants, and then he flashed her a dangerous grin. A second later her pants and panties were gone, yanked off by her eager fiance. A second after that, his mouth was on her core. Levy cried out in bliss as he sucked at her pearl while he pushed two fingers into her, quickly starting a fast pace.

Levy was seeing stars. Oh, it felt so good! Gajeel's fingers inside of her hit every single hot spot, and his mouth on her clit had her screaming in bliss.

Gajeel groaned as he feasted on her, loving the sounds of pleasure she was making. He knew she still might not be ready to go all the way, and he was fully prepared to back off the instant she wanted him to. He'd be content as long as she enjoyed herself tonight. Still, he really _really_ hoped tonight was the night.

Twice... twice Gajeel made her cum with his mouth and fingers. Levy laid on the bed, panting heavily for air, a dazed look on her flushed face. Gajeel slowly stalked back up her body with a grin. He pressed his forehead against hers, watching her as she was panting and shivering beneath him, coming down from her high. He licked his lips, loving the taste of her on his lips. He loved everything about her...

Gajeel let his hands travel down her sides sensually, moving slowly down to her legs. Levy flushed as his hands hooked under her knees, and then pulled her legs up to wrap around his waist. He pressed against her, and she felt his thick member rubbing against her slick folds. She tensed up at this, and he paused, staring down at her with gentle eyes.

"Still scared?" he asked softly, no hint of distaste in his voice, only pure concern. The look in his eyes told her he would back off if she wanted him to, and she felt herself melt a little inside at how considerate he was. Still, she bit her lip and shook her head.

"N-nervous..." she said quietly, looking up into his eyes.

"Do you want me to stop?" Gajeel questioned, bringing a hand up to gently cup her face. He didn't want to stop... but the last thing he wanted was to rush her. He would wait as long as she needed, and she knew he would. Still... he'd have to go take another shower if she told him to stop now.

Levy surprised him by shaking her head, maintaining eye contact with him as she did. "I want to be yours." her voice was a whisper, but he heard it. "I love you, Gajeel... I love you so much, and I want to be yours..."

"Levy..." he breathed, staring down at her with a mix of surprise and joy on his face. He kissed her again, sweetly this time, and she eagerly returned it, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you. I swear you won't regret this." he trailed soft kisses down her neck as he rubbed himself against her slick folds again. "Just hold onto me good and tight, baby. Imma take good care of you." he whispered gently to his nervous fianceè. She held onto him tightly as he returned to kissing her, distracting her with his lips as he lined himself up with her core.

Gajeel buried his face in her hair as he pressed forward slowly. Slowly, so slowly... he refused to make her first time painful. He'd done well in preparing her beforehand, but there was only so much he could do to prepare her for his size. All he could do now... was take it slow.

Levy clung to him tightly, whimpering softly against the mild pinch she felt at being stretched for the first time. It wasn't painful, really, more uncomfortable... and Gajeel was taking it so slow. He gave small, gentle rolls of his hips, sinking a little further into her with each thrust. Levy knew that if he wasn't taking his time with her, she'd be in much more pain... and she loved him for his efforts to lessen her discomfort.

Gajeel grunted softly as he finally completely filled her. Fuck, she was so _tight_. It was taking every ounce of his willpower to stay in control and keep the gentle pace. Even now, he struggled to keep still and let her adjust.

He pulled back a bit to look down at her. She stared up at him, her eyes full of trust and love, and nothing else. That hit him deeply, and gave him the strength he needed to stay in control. Levy was trusting him to make her first time a wonderful experience. He refused to fail her.

Levy gasped softly in surprise when Gajeel suddenly leaned down to kiss her passionately. He stayed completely still inside of her, but he kissed her like there was no tomorrow. She timidly responded, kissing him back. Once she'd relaxed and started to kiss him back, Gajeel began to move again.

He slowly began to withdraw, swallowing her cute little gasp as he continued kissing her. He kept her distracted with the kissing as he gave a very light thrust back into her. Once more, she gasped softly at the feeling, but didn't tense up or act like she was in pain in any way. He did a few more very light thrusts before he decided to pick up the pace.

Levy mewled softly into his mouth as he hooked her legs higher around his waist, his hands moving to hold her ass as he gave a few more gentle thrusts. She felt him starting to move faster, go deeper, but he kept his movements gentle. She couldn't stop the soft mewls that were beginning to escape her lips. It felt... good. Really good. _Really fucking good!_ And every thrust sent pleasure through her being. Gajeel was moving faster now. Harder. Oh, sweet Mavis, she didn't know it would feel this good!

Gajeel grinned when Levy finally openly cried out in pleasure against him. He had a decent pace set now, and he was loving how she squirmed and mewled against him. He pulled away from her lips to attack her neck, wanting to hear those beautiful moans better.

He tilted her hips slightly for a better angle, and it earned him a beautiful cry as this caused him to rub against a wonderfully sensitive spot inside of her. Levy clung tightly to him as she found herself shaking with pleasure. Every move he made sent bliss through her... and she wanted more. It was wonderful... but it wasn't enough, for some reason she couldn't understand. She needed more, she needed more!

"Please..." the cry escaped her lips before she knew was she was doing. Gajeel groaned at the sound of her needy cry. _Fuck, shrimp, that was hot_ , he groaned internally. And then he grinned as he realized his little shrimp wanted more...

"Please, what, Levy?" he whispered hotly against her ear. "Tell me what you want."

"I-I don't know..." she whimpered out, admitting that even she didn't know what she wanted. Gajeel just grinned, licking his lips as he stared down at his girl. Oh, he would enjoy teaching her about the pleasure he could give her. " _Please..."_ her voice took on a desperate edge, one he couldn't resist. He held off on teasing her this time, despite his desire to do so. Instead, he grinned down at her, licking his lips.

"I know what you want. Don't worry, Lev." he chuckled as he sat up a bit. Levy blushed as he pulled at her legs, hooking her knees over his shoulders. He leaned back over her with her legs on his shoulders, and he grinned as she gasped loudly at how deep he was now. He still kept his thrusts relatively gentle, but this new angle was hitting all the right spots. He watched her with a wide grin as she could only pant and cry out with each thrust. He felt her starting to tighten around him, and he picked up the pace.

Levy screamed as she clenched around him, seizing up with the most intense orgasm of her life. Gajeel groaned as she pulsed wildly around his member. Her climax, along with his increased pace, finally caused him to reach his end, too, and he groaned out her name as he emptied himself into her.

They both collapsed on the bed, Gajeel rolling off of her, and pulling her into his arms. He kissed her deeply, tenderly, loving how she responded immediately. When they parted, she instantly snuggled into his arms, much to his amusement. He held her close as they lay there, recovering.

"I fucking love you." Gajeel whispered at some point in their cuddling. "So fucking much."

"I love you, too, Gajeel." Levy said sincerely. She snuggled closer to him, silently seeking his comfort. She just... lost her virginity. No, that wasn't right. She _gave_ it away... to someone she knew would treasure it and respect it.

Gajeel was all smiles as he held his little woman close, burying his nose in her hair. She was his, at long last. She'd trusted him with something so special, so sacred, and he couldn't be happier. He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple and held her closer.

"I love you." he whispered again to her her, and she whispered it back. He spoke sweet words to her, holding her so very close, until she finally drifted off to sleep, knowing good and well that she was loved... and that she would never ever regret giving him her virginity.

"So fucking much... I love you..."

* * *

Early morning sunlight shining in her eyes was what woke Levy. She whined softly, scrunching her nose unhappily as she tried to hide her face from the sun. She buried her face in a warm, firm mass, sighing happily as it blocked out the light. A gentle, unique chuckle and the feeling of a warm callused and sliding up and down her body was what finally made her crack an eye open.

"Mornin, sleepy." Gajeel's grinning face was looking down at her. The warm mass she'd used to hide from the sun was his bare chest. Gajeel was holding her close to him, his hand trailing up and down her bare body as he watched her sleep. It took Levy a minute to remember why she was naked, and her face turned bright red as she remembered the previous night's events. The date, the talk... the sex...

"Don't go hidin from me now, gihi." Gajeel's gentle chuckle filled her ears as she buried her red face in his chest again. He gently pried her face away and leaned down to kiss her, grinning as she kissed him back. When they parted for air, Gajeel gave her a gentle smile. "Feelin okay, Levy? Anything hurt?"

"I'm a little... sore." she admitted quietly, her face still red.

"Ah. It'll be like that for a while. Til ya get used to it." he sighed softly as he buried his nose in her hair. "I shoulda been a little gentler last night. Sorry."

"I... I liked it." Levy confessed. "A-all of it..." Gajeel grinned into her hair and held her closer.

"Good. That's only the beginning, shrimp. It's only gonna feel better and better from here on." he chuckled as her face turned a few shades redder. Better? How could anything feel better than what she'd felt last night? Her stomach fluttered and heat gathered in her stomach at that thought. Something better than all that... was it even possible?

"So wet..." Gajeel groaned suddenly, startling her. She looked up at him in confusion, and he shifted his leg. She just realized how their legs were entwined. She practically had both her legs wrapped around his thigh, which was rubbing against her core. "I say somethin ya like, or is it memories, Lev?" Gajeel chuckled as he felt the moisture against his leg.

"I-I... uh..." Levy turned crimson as Gajeel rolled them over so that she was on her back with him towering over her. He gave her a devilish grin as he stared down at her.

"You up for another round? Cause I can't fucking wait to show you how much _better_ it can get." he gave a seductive purr in her ear, and Levy physically felt herself get wetter. She looked up at her handsome fiancè and gave him a surprisingly firm nod. He grinned, and was on her in the next second.

He spent all day teaching her about the pleasures of the body.

* * *

It's the long awaited lemon! Yay! And I got to update twice today! Double Yay!

I have to be honest... this isn't my best work, especially for a lemon, but I really wanted to get this out. Plus a tiny bit of writers block. Sorry!

But anyways please lemme know what you think. I want reviews! Please! They make me so happy!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	41. Downtime

**Chapter 41**

"You look so beautiful." Lucy cooed as Levy came out of the changing room for the hundredth time that day, wearing a gorgeous white dress that flowed down her body. "I really like this one."

"Y-you think so?" Levy hummed as she looked herself over in the mirror. She looked to Juvia for her opinion.

"Juvia is... unsure. Juvia is not a big fan of empire waistlines, and Levy is a bit too... um, short." Juvia said as she pressed her fingers together nervously, hoping she didn't offend.

"I was thinking the same." Lily nodded from where he stood by the store's doors, guarding it and the girls diligently. "Perhaps something a bit more form hugging?"

"I think so, too." Levy nodded. "I look pregnant in this, anyways."

"Don't worry, ma'am, we will find something for sure." the shop owner smiled sweetly at Levy as she escorted her back to the changing room. Levy just sighed. Back to the drawing board. Who knew shopping for a wedding dress was so hard?

They ended up leaving the store two hours later without a dress, but with a sad Levy. Lucy and Juvia dragged the sad bride to be into an ice cream shop to cheer her up, Lily following along dutifully. Levy was glad that he was able to guard her on his own now, having earned the family's complete trust after the mansion attack. It was nice to see him being accepted. Not only that, but he and Gajeel really hit it off as friends, which made Levy even happier as Gajeel didn't really have anyone but her and his dad in his close social group. The rest of the family didn't count, really, as he interacted with them out of duty, not for fun.

"Don't worry, Levy, we'll find something. Hell, I bet Gajeel would even fly you out to Italy or France to get a custom made dress." Lucy giggled.

"I don't want anything too expensive... I just want to look good for him." Levy pouted. If only she was more busty or taller! And then there was the one requirement Gajeel had requested. Her mark needed to be displayed. Which meant either a backless or sleeveless dress.

This was making it more difficult to find a dress. First of all, the shop owners had to be sworn to secrecy under penalty of being silenced before she could even go to the shops. Second, the whole shop had to rented out and shut down for the day she was there. And then on top of all that, she wasn't busty enough to pull off a sleeveless style... not in her opinion. And she'd yet to find a backless dress that didn't make her feel like a slut. Oh, what to do!

"Levy knows Mr. Boss will love anything Levy wears." Juvia assured her with a sweet smile. "Just find something Levy likes, herself."

"Yea, just find something you like." Lucy nodded in agreement. "Besides, there's no rush. You have plenty of time to find a dress, so don't worry so much."

"Yea, I guess you're right." Levy sighed. She smiled at her friends. "Thanks, guys. I really don't know what I'd do without you." They smiled and hugged her with happy giggles.

"Anything for you, Levy." Lucy smiled. "Now come on, let's get some ice cream!"

A few minutes later, the girls were sitting outside the ice cream shop, Lily standing nearby and keeping watch. You couldn't tell from looking at him that he was a body guard, or that he was armed head to toe with various weapons, as he was just in cargo shorts and a simple white shirt. He was holding up a newspaper, acting like a simple civilian, but his eyes were always looking out for danger.

And then he gave a signal, which startled Levy a bit. She'd not expected any trouble in this outing. But Lily made eye contact with her for three seconds, which was his signal that something was about to happen. If he'd nodded while doing that, it meant danger, but he hadn't. So Levy was a bit wary but knew nothing dangerous was coming her way. Still, she jumped a bit when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Doctor McGarden?!" Levy knew that voice too well. She turned around to find a familiar figure standing not far off. It was strange to see Wendy in something other than scrubs and a doctor's coat, but there she was in a cute sun dress and sandals. "It _is_ you!" the younger woman hurried over, looking beyond relieved to see Levy alive. "Sweet Mavis, what happened? You up and disappear one day and nobody seems to notice or care! Was it because of that incident at the hospital?! Are you okay?!"

"W-woah, Wendy, please calm down." Levy laughed nervously to the hyper doctor. "I'm okay, Wendy. Nothing dangerous is going on, I just... have a lot of personal stuff going on right now. So I took a leave."

"What a relief!" the girl sighed happily. "You know, there were rumors after you left! That you were involved with dangerous people. I didn't believe them, of course. Not one bit." Levy just gave a small, nervous laugh at that, but the girl didn't catch it. "Anyways, I'm so glad you're okay! Do you know when you'll be back?"

"I, um, I'm not certain. I hope it's soon but... we'll see." Levy answered vaguely. A small cough behind her caught her attention and she blushed a bit. "Oh! Sorry, where are my manners? Um, Wendy, these are my friends, Lucy and Juvia. Girls, this is Doctor Wendy Marvell. She works in the maternity ward with me." Levy introduced. Wendy gave a cute bow and a sweet smile.

"Nice to meet you! Although... you two look familiar. Have we met?" Wendy cocked her head.

"We've both been through the maternity ward." Lucy giggled. "Levy delivered my daughter."

"Juvia's, too." Juvia added with a smile.

"Ah, so that's why!" Wendy giggled. She looked at her watch and frowned. "I'm so sorry to run, but I'm almost late to my date."

"Still seeing Romeo?" Levy teased, watching the younger woman blush.

"Yes. He's wonderful! I wish you could meet him." she smiled through her blush. "I'm so glad to know you're okay. Please let me know when you'll be coming back, as soon as you find out!"

"Will do." Levy giggled, waving to the young doctor as she ran off. She looked to her friends with a wry smile. "Well that was interesting."

"Indeed. But that does bring up the question, why haven't you gone back yet?" Lucy questioned her.

"Er, well... so much has happened, and there's still so much to do. I just... want to let everything settle down first." Levy told them. "I really miss working, but I just don't think I can balance it with everything else that's going on right now. M-maybe after the honeymoon..."

"After the honeymoon, Levy might become a patient, herself." Juvia teased, giggling as Levy turned a bright shade of pink. She heard Lily snicker quietly, too.

"Speaking of... has anything _interesting_ happened lately?" Lucy's mischievous voice had Levy wary.

"I-I, uh..."

"The boss has been in an awfully good mood lately, you know." Lucy continued with an evil grin.

"And Juvia saw hickies on Mr. Boss the other day..."

"I really don't wanna have this conversation in public." Levy whined, but to no avail. The girls were teaming up on her.

"Did Mr. Boss finally get laid?" Juvia asked which an evil chuckle. Levy's face was bright red as she looked between them. They wouldn't let her go without an honest answer, that much was obvious.

So she gave a small nod.

Girlish squeals could be heard a mile away. Lily flinched a bit and rubbed at his ear from the sheer volume.

"Go on, then! Spill! I want details!" Lucy demanded. "When? Where?"

"Um..."

"Is he pierced? You know, _down there?"_ Lucy continued. "How was it?!"

"L-Lilyyyy..." Levy managed to whine out between the rapid fire questions. "Evacuation plan Bravo!" Instantly she was scooped up by the rather amused Lily, who quickly ran off with her in his arms, much to Lucy's dismay.

"Hey! How are we getting home?!"

"I'll send Virgo!" Levy shouted back as she was quickly ushered into a black car that appeared out of nowhere, Lily hopping in next to her and ordering the driver to go. Levy cracked up laughing as soon as they were far away from the girls, and Lily joined in.

"I must say, that was most amusing!" Lily laughed loudly. "And their faces!"

"Oh! That was priceless!" Levy actually had to wipe a tear from her eye, she was laughing so hard. "But thank you, Lily. You're a life saver!"

"Anytime, my Lady." he chuckled. "Anytime."

* * *

Gajeel grunted as he was knocked back into the pole. He just barely managed to dodge the punch aimed for his face, rolling out of harm's way at the last second. He stood up and faced his father with a scowl. The old man was going easy on him... and he didn't like it.

"Dammit, pops, fight me for real!" Gajeel growled as he countered, throwing his own punches and cornering the Don in the ring. Metallicana just gave him a smug grin and quite easily dodged his son's next attack, moving so that Gajeel was now the cornered one.

It's not as if Gajeel was a bad fighter. By all means, he was one of the best when it came to hand to hand combat. But everything he knew he'd learned from his father... and the old man still had some tricks up his sleeve.

With Gajeel cornered and Metallicana bearing down on him full force, the winner was quickly declared. Gajeel huffed angrily as the bell chimed, signaling the end of the fight. He always lost to his father. He knew, of course, that he was one of the best. But his old man was _the_ best.

"Yer improving, boy." Metallicana chuckled as he slung a towel around his neck. Even in his old age, the don was ripped. Thick layers of muscle covered every inch of his body, and he made sure it stayed that way with daily exercise... including sparring against his son. "Work on yer footing more. I can easily tell what yer next move is."

"Yeah, yeah." Gajeel sighed, but he took it to heart and made a mental note to fix that. He knew his old man meant only the best for him. With a sigh, he hopped out of the ring and headed for the lockers to take a shower. Didn't want to suffocate his fianceè with his stench when he went home.

"I've been informed," Metallicana said as he followed his son to the locker room, "that yer girl is having a hard time dress shopping."

"Yeah." Gajeel sighed. "Doesn't like how the dresses either make her look short or look flat. Women are picky like that, I guess."

"Indeed they are." his father chuckled. "I wonder... yer mother was about her size. A little taller, I suppose." The don's comment had Gajeel raising a brow curiously at him. What was he getting at?

"You should ask her if she'd like to try on your mother's dress. I still have it, you know." Gajeel's eyes went wide at his father's suggestion. He'd really let Levy use his mother's dress?!

"You really mean that, old man?" Gajeel questioned, trying to hide his shock. The don just grinned at his son.

"Of course. My son is getting married to a wonderful woman. Your mother would be honored, flattered even, if she wore her dress." Metallicana chuckled at his awestruck son. "Ask her, and let me know if she's interested."

* * *

"You're home early." Levy smiled as Gajeel walked through the door. Ever since he'd learned to delegate tasks, he'd been on a fairly regular schedule, special jobs aside. He was usually home by seven, just in time for dinner, and he would be back at work by eight the next morning, making sure to take a day off here or there.

"Yea. Got a special job tomorrow, need plenty of rest." he hummed as he walked over to his tiny fianceè, who was sitting on the couch with dozens of wedding magazines spread out around her. He grinned at this, she was so eager to marry him. He gently pulled her to her feet and gave her a sweet kiss, which she smiled into before returning. "My cute little wifey." he teased lightly as he held her close. She blushed but smiled at him.

"Well, not quite. But soon." she giggled softly.

"Find a dress today?" Gajeel asked, releasing her to tidy up her magazines. Her cute pout answered his question, and he chuckled at her. "I might have a solution, shrimp." This earned him a curious look. "My old man suggested you try on my mother's dress."

"Eh? Really?" Levy asked with wide eyes, and Gajeel nodded.

"I've only seen it in pictures... but I think it would look good on you." Gajeel told her. "But... it's completely up to you, Lev. I won't be upset if you don't like it. Just... try it on?"

"Of course, Gajeel." Levy smiled sweetly at him. "Just tell me when." He smiled back at her, happy that she was willing to try it.

"Good. Now... what's this I heard about you getting extracted today?" he grinned devilishly at the tiny woman, who blushed at being caught red handed.

"I-It was an emergency... I was going to faint if Lily didn't get me out of there. I could have hit my head and died, Gajeel." she tried to play it up jokingly, but Gajeel chuckled knowingly.

"Right... what I was told was less... dramatic." he chuckled, pulling her back into his arms and tilting her chin up so she'd look him in the eye. "Levy, Levy... abusing yer power already?"

"I-I'm sorry..." Levy whined. Gajeel just gave a soft laugh.

"Why? It's a good thing, shrimp."

"Eh?"

"Look, shrimp. The way I see it, the more comfortable ya are communicating with yer body guard and going through drills like that, the better off you'll be if something dangerous really does happen." Gajeel explained with a soft smile, loosening his grip on her. He'd just been teasing her, after all. She didn't do anything wrong. "It was good practice for everyone. You, Lily, the driver."

"Really?" Levy asked in surprise. She would have thought she'd be in some kind of trouble, at least... not getting praised.

"Really. Lily told me today, that it really helped him identify weaknesses in that strategy. And the driver said he was going to work on his reaction speed." Gajeel told her. "See? Yer already filling the role of a don's wife well. It won't always be big things, shrimp. It's small stuff like this that make the family grow stronger."

"Gajeel..." Levy marveled at his words, taking them to heart. "You... really think I will be good at this? At being a don's wife?"

"Yer already good at it, Levy." he smiled at her. "Not just the stuff from today, either. You care for people, care for the family. Yer always helping others, and ya know when to put that foot down." he chuckled. "Trust me, you'll do just fine. And I'll be right there beside ya the whole time."

"Always?" Levy asked with a small smile. He chuckled and pressed his forehead against hers.

"Always and forever."

* * *

Woo! Two days in a row! I'm on fire!

I don't have much to say for this one, it was mostly filler. Sorry!

Anyways, let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	42. Her Role

**Chapter 42**

"So what is this special job you're going on?" Levy asked curiously as she cuddled into her fiancè's side. He held her close, loving the feel of her body against his, and he gave a light smile at her question. Such a curious creature, she was.

"Nothing too much. Negotiation with a company, mostly. Pops wants to buy them out, but they're bein stubborn about it, so he's sendin me in ta scare them a bit." he explained to her.

"Scare them how?" Levy inquired with curious eyes.

"It varies. Sometimes use the family's power to intimidate them... sometimes things get physical. They won't leave with more than a few bruises." he shrugged nonchalantly. "But they'll know the next meeting will be with my old man. That's the really scary thing." he laughed into her hair.

"Yea... h-he really scared me the first time I met him." Levy mumbled against his chest.

"And he was bein friendly with ya." Gajeel's amused chuckle filled her ears. They returned to a comfortable silence for a while, before Levy looked up at him.

"Can I come?"

"Baby, I can make you cum as much as you want." Gajeel grinned, rolling them so that he was caging her between his body and the bed. Levy blushed beautifully for him.

"T-That's not what I meant..." she mumbled as her fiancè began to trail kisses up and down her neck. He grinned against her skin.

"I know." his gentle chuckle came. "Why do you want to come with me? Ya know you'll just get scared."

"Y-you don't know that." she pouted. He pulled back to give her a serious look.

"I do, actually. You'll get scared. Maybe not of me, but of the situation for sure." he told her firmly. "Why do you want to be put in that position?"

"I... I want to know. What you do. What the family does." she admitted quietly. "What you said earlier, about me helping, it got me thinking. I... I'm going to be your wife, Gajeel. I'm going to be an important person to the family... but I don't even know what's going on most of the time. I... I want to at least know..."

"That's... awful thoughtful of you, Levy." Gajeel grinned down at her, his heart swelling as he realized she was trying to accept her role in the family. He would have been fine, letting her stay perfectly ignorant of the family's doings, as long as he had her by his side. But seeing that she wanted to contribute, wanted to actually fill her role as the future don's wife... that made him beyond happy.

"Alright, shrimp. You really want to do your part? You can come." he agreed with a soft sigh. "But... tomorrow is a really big deal. You need to do exactly as I say while we're there. No ifs, ands, or butts. Got it?" Levy nodded firmly and his grin softened into a gentle smile. "And don't you dare be afraid of me. Alright, shrimp?"

"Never." Levy promised him with determined eyes. He just smiled and kissed her before rolling off to the side to cuddle her some more. "What, that's all? No fun tonight?" Levy's soft disappointed voice had him grinning widely. He was over her again in an instant, pulling her legs up around his waist.

"Fuck, I've corrupted you. Turned ya into a little sex addict." he chuckled darkly, rolling his hips against hers and making her moan. "I fucking love it."

* * *

Levy fidgeted a bit nervously as she sat next to Gajeel in the meeting room. He was going over some papers in preparation for the meeting, and it was weird to see him doing paperwork. He glanced at her from time to time but said nothing about her fidgeting. _Let her get it out now_ , he mused internally.

Finally, the time for the meeting was at hand. Gajeel had everything ready. He turned to Levy and gave her a reassuring smile.

"It'll be fine, shrimp. Just sit there and let me do the talking. Try not to show any emotion or flinch, okay?" he told her gently and she nodded. "Ya need to be like steel, strong and cold and unyielding. Anything less and they'll think we're weak. So if ya get scared... please, just try not to show it? I'll let ya get it out later."

"I'll try." Levy nodded. She was nervous... but determination filled her eyes. She needed to do her role well, so Gajeel could do his job without issue. Gajeel grinned at her determination. He gave her a quick kiss before sending the clients in.

Two men entered the room, wearing very professional suits and carrying brief cases. One was clearly the leader, the other obviously an assistant. The leader was tall, lanky, and tanned, with short black hair and a crisp mustache on his face. He looked around the room, and when his eyes landed on Levy, he scowled.

"There was-a no mention of a _woman_ joining us." he said with clear distaste, his thick Italian accent surprising Levy though she did not show it. She tried to hide her anger at his statement, too, but there was no hiding the angry glint in her eyes. Luckily, Gajeel spoke before her temper got to her.

"This woman is my _fianceè_ and you _will_ treat her with respect. Understand, Marino?" Gajeel said firmly, his voice dark and full of authority. Levy had never heard him speak this way, and it sent a chill down her spine. The man, Marino, looked a bit pale as he realized his blunder. He coughed nervously and nodded, mumbling out an apology as he took his seat. Gajeel just glared at him. _Well, this ain't a good start,_ he mentally sighed as he got started with the meeting.

"Let's see... looks like my father made you a very lucrative offer. I won't bother going over it, and I trust you've done yer homework, so let's get right to it. Have you made your decision?" Gajeel questioned as he looked over a paper.

"We... would like to negotiate the terms." Marino declared, much to his assistant's upset.

"Sir, this won't end well." the assistant tried to whisper, but Marino waved him off with a huff.

"Why should I accept these terms? A full takeover, all my high-ranking executives pulled into your _gang_ , and for what? A few million, not even the full value of my company?! It is-a the most ridiculous offer I have ever seen." Marino ranted quite angrily.

"These terms are non-negotiable." Gajeel said calmly, firmly. "You either accept them or decline them. I suggest you accept, Marino. Your alternative is not pretty."

"Sir, please, just take the deal." the assistant begged his boss. Marino just waved him away and stood up with an angry scowl.

"Then I decline. This meeting is over." Marino declared, making for the door. Gajeel's voice stopped him as he reached for the handle.

"Marino. This is your last offer. Take the deal." Gajeel said firmly, his voice taking on a dark edge. Marino stiffened at the underlying threat, but he held firm.

"I decline." he said again. Gajeel's laughter startled him into looking back at the dangerous man. Gajeel was giving him a cold, cruel grin that had him shrinking back in fear. How could such a young man be so truly frightening?

"Very well, Marino. You've made your bed, now go lie in it. We still win in the long run." Gajeel chuckled darkly. Marino bristled at this. What did he mean?

"What are you getting at, ruffian?" Marino demanded. Gajeel just chuckled and examined his nails nonchalantly.

"My family will own your business in the end. The offer was a formality... an attempt to make things go smoother. But we have ways of getting what we want, no matter what." Gajeel said coolly, that dark grin still on his face. Levy was trying awfully hard not to shiver. He was... scary... but strangely alluring this way, and she didn't understand why she suddenly felt so... so turned on...

"Sir, you've ruined us." the assistant despaired. He knew this was how it would end if his boss didn't agree to the takeover. "The Redfoxes have their hands in every single business we deal with."

"Indeed, we do." Gajeel chuckled. "It would be a shame to boycott you, send yer company to ruin. It's much harder to build a company back up after that."

"You... you wouldn't!" Marino gasped as the pieces fell into place. Fairy Tail would boycott them... all of their partners would boycott them, because Fairy Tail would tell them to. "I'll be ruined!" Gajeel just shrugged, that cocky, dangerous grin still plastered on his face. Marino let out a shout of rage as he rushed at Gajeel.

"You bastard! You think this is funny?!" Gajeel quite easily dodged the lanky man's punch and, the next thing anyone knew, Marino was being dangled in the air by his throat, a powerful hand wrapped firmly around his neck.

"Should have taken the deal, Marino. Such a shame you declined." Gajeel still grinned at him. "And then you go and attack me. You see, I can't let that slide." Gajeel slammed Marino into the nearest wall, grinning darkly as he heard the man cry out in pain, along with a delightful crunch of bone. A fractured shoulder blade, it seemed.

"Now then... I'd really prefer not to make a _scene_ in front of my girl... so I'll be generous and offer you a new deal. Maybe you'll be more understanding this time?" Marino could do nothing more than nod, grasping at Gajeel's arm as he struggled to breathe. "You sell the company to my father for a fourth of what we originally offered, and the rest of the terms stay the same."

"T-that..."

 _"That_ is my final offer." Gajeel told him firmly. "You have ten seconds."

"Sir, please! Take the deal!" the assistant begged. Marino glared at the grinning Gajeel, hating the position he'd been put in. Finally, he scowled and nodded. Gajeel chuckled and let him go, and he fell to the ground with a gasp, trying to catch his breath as he clung to his injured shoulder.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

-BREAK-

"You okay, shrimp?" Gajeel questioned as he pulled his little fianceè into his arms after the meeting. He knew he'd scared her, if only a little... but she seemed to be holding up well. She leaned into him and gave a small nod. "I scare ya?"

"Just a little." she admitted quietly, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his chest. "I'm fine, Gajeel. I've just... never seen you that way."

"Be prepared to see a lot more of that, Levy, if you still plan ta get more involved with the family." Gajeel hummed softly as he gently rubbed her back. Levy mumbled something against him and he raised a brow, gently prying her away from his chest. "What was that, shrimp?"

"I-I um... is it... bad, t-that I kind of... thought it was... um..." she trailed off as her face became redder and redder. Gajeel put the pieces together and grinned wickedly. Levy squeaked as he lifted her by the waist and sat her down on his desk, leaning down to grin devilishly at her.

"Little Levy, did I turn you on?" he teased with a seductive purr. Levy's face could not get any redder as she gave a tiny nod. Gajeel just grinned and captured her lips with a searing kiss, swallowing her cute little gasp of surprise. He kissed her deeply, loving how eagerly she returned the kissing. It didn't take long for them both to start getting handsy. Things were just getting heated when a brisk knock on the office door distracted them. Gajeel pulled away with a heavy sigh, then flashed a grin at his blushing bride to be.

"We ain't done _talking_ about this, Lev. Later." he promised with a chuckle. Levy hopped off the desk and straightened her clothing with a cute blush as Gajeel went to answer the door. He wasn't surprised to find his father standing there, as he'd been expecting him to come for a report.. Metallicana raised a brow at Levy's presence in the office.

"She went to the meeting?" the don questioned.

"She wanted to learn about what we do." Gajeel just shrugged. "She did really well."

"I see. Good, good." the don nodded with a pleased smile. His future daughter-in-law was try to fill her role dutifully. He was pleased. "How was the meeting?" Metallicana asked as Gajeel let him into the office. He took a seat at the chair in front of Gajeel's desk as Gajeel set about getting the papers together.

"Better than expected. Got him to accept a fourth of the offer fer the same terms." Gajeel shrugged. "Here, pops, just needs yer signature." he handed his father a thick stack of papers to look over.

"Good job, boy. Yer gettin good at this." Metallicana grinned as he flipped through the pages. "And you, little miss, what do you think of all this?" he addressed Levy now. She fidgeted a bit nervously.

"U-um, well, I'm not really a business person... so I didn't understand a lot of it. But you are taking over their company?" she asked quietly. The don nodded. "M-may I ask why?"

"Of course. Gajeel, tell her." the don chuckled, still focusing on the papers.

"They are manufacturers. They make a few select parts our allied companies need for their use." Gajeel explained. "Taking them over not onky gives us a profit, but it makes the cost of the parts cheaper for the other companies, which in turn give us a very nice royalty on every piece they make. We basically get double profit."

"Oh. What do the other companies make?" she asked curiously.

"We mostly deal in arms, young lady." the don answered that one. "Our allied companies manufacture all sorts of weapons. We get royalties and select pieces from them."

"So the company you just took over... it's really important, right?" levy asked, trying to piece things together. When they both nodded at her, she cocked her head curiously. "Then... why did you give them a bad deal?"

"It's strategy, mostly." the don told her. "Taking over a company by force is expensive. Offering them a deal, even a bad one, makes negotiating easier. If they accept, we win because it's cheaper than doing it forcefully. Decline? Well, that's when our so called negotiations start."

"See, in this case, they declined the offer," Gajeel added, "and that let me threaten them with financial ruin. So, when I changed the offer to a lower amount, it's still in our favor, because it's cheaper. But now they'll accept the terms to avoid ruining themselves." he explained to his fianceè, who was taking everything in with wide eyes.

"So... you won no matter what? It was just about how much you won by?" she tried to clarify. Gajeel grinned at her.

"Hit it on the head, shrimp." he nodded at her.

"That's really clever." Levy said with awe. "And you do this a lot?"

"Well, takeovers not so much. This was a rare case." the don explained, grabbing a pen off Gajeel's desk so he could start signing the documents. "But we use this tactic a lot."

"One thing you'll learn, shrimp, if ya haven't already caught on. Fairy Tail always wins."

* * *

"What did ya think, Levy?" Gajeel asked as they were leaving the mansion later that night. His girl looked awfully exhausted, having been going to all sorts of meetings with him today, all of them boring except for the first one. "Aside from special jobs, this is the kind of stuff I usually do."

"It's all so... complicated. But I don't understand something, Gajeel."

"What's that?"

"All this stuff sounds so... legal." she hummed.

"It is." he chuckled lightly. "Big stuff like this, dealing with businesses and such, kinda has to be... fer the most part. Don't want the government catching on, ya know."

"Hm, then where does all the bad stuff happen?" Levy asked curiously.

"The black market, mostly. Old man told ya we mostly deal in weapons." he explained. "We got our hands in pharmaceuticals and hospitals, too, but arms are our big source. And then there's small stuff. Protection payments, being loan sharks, money laundering, blackmailing, smuggling. All that."

"Wow." Levy said in awe at the sheer volume of things the family did.

"Yea, and ya wanna know the kicker?" Gajeel grinned down at her. "Our biggest client is the king's army."

"Really?!"

"Sure is, shrimp. One of the reasons we ain't gotta worry too much about the king." he chuckled. "He kind of... looks the other way to most of our activities."

"So... How do you keep up with all of those _activities_?" Levy asked with wide eyes. He grinned at her.

"That's what the council is for. Each council member oversees certain things, and reports back to my old man and me. We usually only see to the really important stuff, ourselves." he chuckled at her wide eyes. She was really learning a lot today, and he was glad he could finally tell her this stuff. Before... well, before he'd been trying to keep her from getting in too deep. Now, however... well, she was marrying him. She was in about as deep as she could get.

"Look, shrimp, ya really won't have to be too involved with any one particular thing, so don't worry too much about keeping track of it all." he told her with a soft smile. "Just stay by my side, know the really important stuff, and maybe go to council meetings with me. You'll do great as a don's wife."

"You really think so?" Levy asked with a small smile.

"I know it." he grinned, pulling her to him with a warm embrace. "Yer already doing so well, babe. Trust me, you got plenty of time to learn. The family will love ya just fer trying, anyways. So relax. Just mostly focus on being my wife. Yea?" he smiled sweetly at her, and she returned it with a bright smile of her own.

"Yea."

"Good. Now... my old man gave me somethin special today." Gajeel grinned, stepping out of the car that had parked at the safe house while they talked. Levy hadn't even noticed Lily exit the vehicle, she'd been so enraptured in the talk. She usually thanked him for driving them places.

Gajeel helped Levy out of the car, then led her inside. Waiting for them in the foyer was Virgo, holding up a beautiful vintage wedding dress. Levy gasped in surprise as she took in the sight of the dress. It was gorgeous. Form fitting and covered in delicate lace, with little jewels shining here and there, it was long sleeved but had a low back that was covered in a thin layer of sheer fabric, which would allow her mark to be displayed.

"Gajeel, it's beautiful." Levy said in awe as she reached out to touch the dress. She looked to her fiancè with a sweet smile. "Is this it? Your mother's dress?"

"It is." he nodded with a gentle grin. "Try it on?"

"Eh? But you're not supposed to see me in a wedding dress til the big day." Levy blushed cutely, and Gajeel chuckled.

"Aw, screw all that tradition shit. I want to see my beautiful bride." he told her sweetly, and she felt her heart melt a bit. She gave him a dazzling smile and nodded.

"I will help you, my lady." Virgo said as she escorted Levy away to get changed.

Gajeel was sitting in the living room with Lily when she finally came out. He looked up at he heard her enter, and his jaw almost hit the floor. _Holy fuck, she's gorgeous_. She stood before him with an adorable blush. The dress fit her perfectly, height aside. It hugged her curves beautifully, accentuating them in a classy way, and making her chest look just a bit bigger. She looked absolutely...

"Beautiful." Gajeel breathed as he took her in. Levy's face turned a shade redder, but she smiled happily.

"You are stunning, my lady." Lily commented with a happy smile. "What do you think?"

"Oh I love it!" Levy smiled brightly, tears pricking at her eyes. "It's perfect, Gajeel!"

"I can tailor it to your height, my lady. It would only take about a week." Virgo commented as she pulled a bit at the extra fabric.

"Oh Gajeel, is that okay? Can I really wear this one?" Levy turned pleading eyes to her husband to be, and he just grinned.

"Old man said its yours if you want it, Levy. I take it you do?"

"Yes! It's such a perfect dress. I feel... I feel like a _bride_ in this one." Levy cried happily, much to Gajeel and Lily's amusement. Gajeel had known she'd been struggling to find a good dress, and he was beyond happy that she liked this one.

"It's all yours, baby. Virgo, do what you need to, to make it perfect." Gajeel chuckled at his overly happy fianceè, who was trying so hard to keep her tears from falling and ruining the dress. He could only grin happily and pray the big day would get here soon.

 _I can't wait to marry this woman._

* * *

I am on a roll with these chapters, y'all! The ideas just won't stop! And I guess typing everything on my phone isn't _so_ bad... but I really do need to fix the formatting the next time I'm at a computer. (Edit: fixed, but let me know if I missed anything, even a spelling issue)

Poll time, who wants a lemon again soon? I have a few ideas, but give me suggestions lol!

Thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	43. Anger

**Chapter 43**

Levy walked down the mostly empty halls of the mansion with a small smile on her lips, her arms full of books. Oh, she just had to thank the don! He'd so graciously allowed her to borrow any books she wanted from his library. It was a fantastic offer, one she could not refuse, and she'd just spent all day in the library trying to decide what books to take home while Gajeel was working.

"Ah, there you are, little one. Thought you'd disappeared on us." Metallicana's voice pulled her from her happy thoughts. She turned and found him approaching her from a side hall, Gray and Natsu walking behind him. "Where are you heading?"

"Oh. I was going to see if I could find Gajeel." Levy smiled at her future father-in-law. "Do you know where he is?"

"Course I do." the boss confirmed. "Come with us, we are going to him, anyways."

"Er boss... I don't think that's such a good idea..." Gray spoke up, giving Levy a nervous glance. Natsu nodded.

"Yea... you know Metalhead won't want her to see that." the usually cheerful man looked downright worried as soon as the don suggested taking her to Gajeel. Levy fidgeted a bit as she realized he was probably doing something that would scare her if she saw it.

"She needs to be exposed to this stuff, and she's seen worse, already." Metallicana shook his head at the guards before leveling Levy with a firm stare. "You did want to know about what the family does... isn't that right?" his tone suggested that she really really shouldn't nit pick over what she learned. Levy swallowed thickly and nodded. He did have a point, who was she to pick and choose what she learned of the family? The don grinned at her, then.

"Good. Now, come along."

Levy followed the trio down a familiar set of stairs. She knew where they were going. The prisoner cells were down here. She began to wonder exactly what she'd see. She'd already seen Gajeel kill someone down here... how much worse could it get than that? Still, she prepared herself for anything, holding her books tightly to her chest as she strengthened her resolve.

Anguished cries soon reached their ears. Natsu and Gray exchanged worried glances before shooting Levy what she thought were reassuring looks. The don merely continued marching forward, unphased by the sounds. As they came closer, Gajeel's voice could be heard.

"Don't make me repeat myself again." his voice was calm but deadly and dark. It sent a chill down her spine, and she couldn't help but think he'd taken after his father a bit too much. "Tell me what I need to know."

"I've already told you!" the other person shouted before screaming in pain. "The only person who knew anything about him was Cobra! That's all I know, I swear!"

"And where is this Cobra?" Gajeel demanded. Levy swallowed thickly at this. Cobra... he was the one working with Brain. Was... was Gajeel interrogating a Phantom Lord member? Why was there so much screaming? She looked to Gray and Natsu, but they were looking straight ahead again, following the don to the very last holding cell, where Gajeel was locked in with the prisoner.

Levy's eyes went wide when she saw them. Gajeel was in his usual work attire, minus the jacket, and the sleeves of his white dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows. His hair was pulled back out of his face, and he looked cold and cruel as he faced the prisoner, who was chained to the wall and immobilized by straps. Levy recognized the prisoner. He'd been the one to knock her out during the attack on the mansion. He was covered in cuts and bruises and burns of all kinds.

Gajeel didn't even notice the company or, if he did, he surely didn't see Levy. He continued interrogating the man in front of him.

"I said, Where is he?!" Gajeel growled, swinging a hard punch into the man's jaw.

"Fuck if I know!" the man returned with his own growl. "Cobra's a coward, runs at the first sign of danger. He's probably left the country by now."

"Who would know where to find him?" Gajeel demanded of him, but the man just spat at him. He dodged the spit, and the man was rewarded with a harsh blow to the gut. He cried out as the air was knocked from him... and it was enough to make him pass out. Gajeel just snarled in anger. Whatever, at least they had a name now. Cobra.

A light cough got his attention and he looked outside the cell, not surprised to see his old man standing there. Or the dweebs. But his eyes went wide as he saw a mop of blue hair peeking out from behind his father. Levy...

"You old man..." Gajeel growled angrily, marching up to the cell door to glare at his father. "Why the hell did you bring her down here?!" Levy stared at him with wide eyes, not used to seeing him so... so furious. But he looked about ready to kill his own father right now. The don didn't even flinch at his son's anger. He'd been expecting it, of course. Metallicana merely shrugged at his son and gave a cold grin.

"You said she wanted to know about family matters. She's gotta learn somehow." the don told him. "Besides, she's seen you do worse. Ain't that right, young one?" he spoke to Levy, who flinched a bit at being addressed. She gave a timid nod, biting her lip nervously at how angry Gajeel was. She'd only seen him this angry once... when Brain had his hands on her.

"That doesn't mean I want her to see this! Stop interfering, let me teach her how I think is best, old man!" Gajeel snarled angrily, slamming his fist on the cell door. "Dammit, Gray, let me out of here already!"

"Boss, maybe you should calm down a little..." Gray offered, but he was quick to change his mind when Gajeel leveled him with a furious glare. As Gray unlocked the cell, Natsu moved to stand between Gajeel and Metallicana... just in case. It wouldn't be the first time Gajeel lashed out at his father in his anger, after all... and it was his job to protect the don, even from his son.

Natsu and Gray were both surprised when Gajeel bypassed his father and headed straight for Levy. Levy whimpered softly in surprise, dropping her books, as Gajeel scooped her up into his arms and carted her off. He shot his father one last angry glare before he took his frightened fianceè far away from the cells.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Levy." he sighed against her hair when they were halfway across the mansion. "That was somethin I didn't want ya to see yet. That fucking old man..." he ended with an angry growl that had Levy hiding her face in his chest with a soft whimper. He paused when he saw this, and he gently pried her face away so he could look at her. "Hey..." he tried to sound soothing, but he knew he was still too angry to sound remotely gentle. "It's not you, Levy. I swear I ain't the least bit mad at you."

"Promise?" came her timid whimper.

"Baby..." seeing the tears in her eyes really sobered him up. The anger began to fade as he focused on his little fianceè. "I promise, Levy. I ain't mad at you. Never you. You ain't done anything wrong."

"Y-you were so angry..." she whined softly, and Gajeel gave a heavy sigh. He was still angry, furious even. He continued walking with her as he held her close.

"I know, Levy. Just... let me hold you a bit, it's really helping me calm down." he sighed into her hair as she buried her face in his neck again. "I'm sorry I scared you. It's just... that's part of me, part of my life. I have to be that way sometimes. You understand that, right?" he felt her nod against his neck. "You know I should be the last person yer afraid of. I won't ever, ever hurt you, Levy." he swore to her.

"I know." her quiet, muffled voice came. "I'm not... not afraid of you."

"The situation?" Gajeel hummed, carrying her into a very familiar room. "Or just all the anger?"

"The anger, mostly. I've seen you do worse, but you never get that angry." came her soft response. She looked up at him as he sat down with her on a bed, and then she looked around. "Our old... bedroom?"

"Needed to be alone with you." Gajeel sighed. He was still on edge, but having his girl in his arms was doing wonders at cooling his temper. He rested his head on her shoulder as he tried to calm down. He hadn't been this angry with his father in a fucking long time.

"Are you okay?" Levy asked him, voice full of concern. Gajeel shook his head against her with a heavy sigh.

"Had a shit day, didn't get the info I needed, and now my old man's pissin me off." he huffed against her. He sat up with a frustrated growl. "What the hell is with him? Huh? Yea, yer learning about the family. But dammit all, I was trying to keep things at a nice pace for ya so ya wouldn't get overwhelmed. Then he pulls this shit." he flopped back on the bed with a scowl, bringing a startled Levy down with him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How much did you even see, shrimp? I didn't even hear y'all come in." he sighed against her hair as he held her close.

"Just the end." she told him quietly.

"Good." he sighed, saying nothing more on that. Levy could only guess why. He probably did some really horrible things to that man before they came in. "Are _you_ okay, shrimp?"

"I am now." she nodded against him.

"Good. I just... need to cool down for a while. Let me hold you?"

"You already are." she gave a small giggle, much to his amusement. He kissed her temple with a soft sigh.

"So I am." they went back to a peaceful silence, Gajeel holding Levy close to him, his hand trailing up and down her side as he just enjoyed her company. After a while, he got tired of the silence, so he decided to ask something he'd been meaning to ask for a long time. "I know this is random, shrimp... but I really wanna know. Do you want children someday?"

"T-that _is_ pretty random, Gajeel." she giggled with a cute blush. Then she smiled softly at him. "Yes. Very much so. Maybe three or four of them." Levy sighed as she snuggled against him. "What about you?"

"Ya know... I never cared much for kids. Never saw myself as a father." Gajeel admitted, feeling Levy pout against him sadly. "But then you came along and, fuck, shrimp all I want now, you know aside from marrying ya, is to see a little kid running around with your eyes and my hair. Maybe a few of em. Two, at least." he chuckled softly as Levy blushed a bit. She looked up at him with a huge, happy smile.

"I'd really like that, Gajeel... to have kids with you one day." she told him sweetly. Gajeel just grinned, and Levy quickly found her back pressed into the mattress, her grinning fiancè caging her there with his body.

"Hm, then hows about we get to working on it, shrimp?" he chuckled at her adorable blush. "Fuck, just thinking about you pregnant is getting to me."

"B-but we're not even married yet." Levy protested cutely. Gajeel just laughed.

"Shrimp, is that yer only reason against it?" he chuckled, watching as she nodded with an adorable blush, and then he gave her a wicked grin. "Then there shouldn't be an issue. I never really did care much for social norms, anyways. Now _c'mere,_ gihi."

* * *

Haha, hows that for a fun cliff hanger? Did they do it? Did they not? Is there a lemon coming? I don't know, you'll have to see in the next chapter. Muahaha.

Please, I want more comments. Comment on old chapters if you must. I must know what my readers are thinking!

To be honest, if it feels rushed at the end, it was just a bit. Sorry! Ran out of steam.

Thanks for reading, y'all!

-Everythingnerd12


	44. Distractions

**Chapter 44**

"Gajeel, _wake u_ _p!_ " a soft voice in his ear and the feeling of small hands shaking his shoulder were what pulled Gajeel from his sleep. He cracked an eye open, getting a bearing on his surroundings. He was in his old room at the mansion.

 _Oh, right, we stayed here last night,_ he mused as he turned his eyes to the little woman that was trying to wake him, expecting to see tears from another nightmare, but pleasantly surprised to see she was okay, though she looked worried over something.

"Lev? What's up?" he hummed, rolling over to wrap his arms around her. He grinned sleepily at the feel of her bare body pressed firmly against his.

" _Gajeel, I_ _think I heard gunshots_."

Well, that sure woke him up. Gajeel was out of bed in an instant, grabbing his gun from the side table and hurrying to the bedroom door. He pressed his ear to it, listening closely. Sure enough, he heard a few distant shots and some shouting.

"Levy, get yer ass under the bed right now." he whispered harshly to his fianceè. She quickly scrambled to do what he said while Gajeel yanked on a pair of jeans. "Stay right there and don't fucking move or make a sound. Don't come out unless ya hear me or my old man. Got it?"

"Y-yes." she squeaked nervously, listening to Gajeel rummage through a nightstand drawer. His hand suddenly appeared under the bed, holding a small pistol out to her. She timidly took it from him. "Please be careful." she pleaded with him as he stepped away from the bed.

"I'll try, Levy." she heard him say softly. "Now stay there and be quiet. I'll be back." With that, he ran off towards the sound of the gunfire.

The commotion had settled down by the time Gajeel reached his father's office. Guards were still rushing to and fro, but the gunshots had died off.

"Somebody tell me what the fuck's going on." Gajeel growled as he barged into the office, finding his father at the desk, with Igneel and Makarov also in the room.

"Yer still here, boy? Thought you took yer woman home." Metalicana mused calmly. "Guess ya got distracted?" he looked pointedly at the small hickeys on his son's neck and chest that were obviously left by a tiny bluenette. Makarov snickered as, from where he was standing, he could clearly see a few small but deep scratch marks on Gajeel's back.

"Yea, big deal." Gajeel huffed, not caring in the least if everyone knew why he'd stayed the night. They all knew his reputation with women, and now he was committed to a single woman... who loved it rough. "Now tell me what's goin on, old man."

"Calm down, brat. Just the usual attempt on yer father's life." Igneel scoffed.

"Great, who was it this time?!" Gajeel rolled his eyes. All this commotion over a simple assassination attempt? That happened at least once a week, why was this time such a big deal?

"Seems Jude Heartfilia learned we've got his daughter in our ranks and he's none too pleased with me." Metalicana huffed, inhaling deeply on his cigar. "Sent a small squad after both me and his daughter."

"Well, shit, did he get Lucy?" Gajeel asked, more concerned than he let on. Lucy was a sweet girl, and she was his girl's best friend. Not only that, but he had a lot of respect for Natsu, and he'd hate it if something like that happened to them.

"My daughter-in-law and granddaughter are fine." Igneel assured him. "They've been moved into my home since the Phantom Lord war, just in case something like this happened."

"It was the right call, it seems." Makarov commented. "Their house wasn't so fortunate. We've got reports it's been burned to the ground. But their little family is all safe and sound."

"That's good, at least." Gajeel sighed, looking around the room. "So everything's taken care of?"

"For now. Go back to yer fianceè, boy, before she worries." Metalicana waved him off with a nod. Gajeel just huffed again and hurried out of the room. As glad as he was that there wasn't any real danger, he did need to get back to Levy. She was probably terrified out of her mind!

Levy waited anxiously underneath the bed, listening closely to everything around her. She heard guards rushing by the room a few times, but nobody approached the room. The gun shots stopped after a time, and then everything went silent. It was nerve wracking.

And then the door creaked open slowly, and Levy had to covered her mouth to keep from making a sound. She had her hand firmly on the gun Gajeel had given her, but her hand was shaking and she prayed she didn't have to use it. She waited and listened closely as someone walked a few steps into the room.

"My Lady, are you in here?" It was Lily. She let out the breath she'd been holding, and opened her mouth to talk, but Gajeel's words came to mind and she quickly shut her mouth. No, she had to wait until either Gajeel or the Don came for her. She couldn't even come out for Lily.

She heard Lily walk around the room, and he paused by the bed. She remained silent, hoping he'd go away soon, and praying he didn't look under the bed... mostly because she was still quite naked. Lily finally walked off silently, shutting the bedroom door behind him. Levy let out a small breath of relief and went back to waiting and listening.

Gajeel raised a brow as he rounded the corner and found Lily in a guarding position by the bedroom door, looking a bit frustrated. Lily met his eyes and sighed softly.

"I know she's under the bed... but she didn't answer me. Figured there was a reason for that?" he questioned Gajeel. He knew Levy trusted him with her life... so there must be a good reason for her to stay hidden, even from him.

"Told her to only come out for me or the old man." Gajeel sighed as he approached the door. He noticed Lily's slight upset at his words and he gave a heavy sigh. "Look, man. It don't mean yer not trusted. I trust ya, with my life and Levy's life." Gajeel assured the bigger man. "This was... partly practise, fer her, not that she knows it. When shit really does hit the fan, she needs to follow my orders, no matter what."

"Well, then... she did good, in that case." Lily said with a small, relieved smile. "You need to work on her breathing, though. That's how I knew she was there. She sounded terrified."

"Then I should really get in there. Thanks for the tip." Gajeel nodded in appreciation. "Go rest up, Lil. I got it from here." he dismissed the guard and headed into the room, pausing at the door to listen closely. He did, indeed, hear her quiet breathing. Just barely, but it was there, and the quick pace told him she was very scared. "Levy, it's all clear now. Come on out." he called out to her. She was instantly scrambling from under the bed and hurrying into his arms.

"I'm so glad you're okay." she whined against him as he held her close. "What... what happened, Gajeel?"

"Just someone after my old man's life again." Gajeel sighed. "It happens a lot and is normally taken care of quietly by the guards. But they had to fend off a small squad of attackers this time, hence all the commotion." he told her softly. "Everything was taken care of before I even got there, nobody on our end was even injured."

"That's a relief." Levy breathed shakily against him. He just nodded, rubbing her back soothingly. Then he smiled.

"Lev, I'm proud of ya. You did really well." he told her happily. "Lil said he only knew you were in her because he heard yer breathing. You didn't talk or come out, nothin."

"Y-you told me not to." Levy reminded him, which just made him grin.

"I did. And you listened and did exactly what I told ya." he hummed, holding her closer to him. "Look, I know tonight was scary, but just consider this a drill, yea? Cause when things really do go south, I need you to follow my orders exactly, just like you did tonight. Understand?" She nodded against him. He smiled gently at her as he held her, letting her calm down a bit more. When she finally relaxed, he took a step back to look her over.

"I need to tell the cleaning ladies the beds need cleaned underneath." he chuckled softly, plucking a few cobwebs from Levy's hair. Her eyes went wide and she looked herself over, blushing as she realized how dirty she was now. "Let's go take a shower, Lev."

A few minutes and some intense scrubbing later, Levy was squeaky clean and completely relaxed, much to Gajeel's delight. She was getting better at coping with events like what happened tonight, and he was glad for it, because that was definitely not the last time something like that would happen.

"Oh, that feels _good..._ " Levy moaned as Gajeel turned her around and started rubbing her shoulders. He chuckled at her reaction and continued on with the massage, working out a few kinks he found in her shoulders. Her moaning got to him after a while, and Levy gasped as she was suddenly picked up and pinned against the cold shower wall.

"Baby, you know what else feels _good_?" Gajeel grinned, pressing intimately against her. She was already blushing but, at his words, her eyes filled with lust and amusement.

"I know of a few things. M-maybe you should show me what you mean?" she teased with a small smile and a huge blush. Gajeel chuckled softly, bringing one hand up to cup her cheek. _Oh, Levy, I love that you always blush for me_ , he mused internally as he gave her a wicked grin.

"It would be my pleasure, shrimp... and _yours_."

* * *

Gajeel woke on his own terms this time, his internal body clock telling him it was morning, despite their bedroom having no windows. He opened his eyes slowly, looking around, and his eyes were quick to land on the tiny woman wrapped up in his arms. She was sleeping soundly, a cute smile on her lips as she dreamed good dreams, her hair all over the place but mostly in her face.

 _Mavis, she's gorgeous_ , Gajeel smiled as he brushed her hair away from her face. He was tempted to wake her up and get back to work on that baby, but he pushed the thought away with a soft sigh.

 _She's probably exhausted, not to mention sore_ , he mused. _We have been goin at it all night, after all_. But fuck, he was addicted to her. He couldn't get enough.

The way she felt, the sounds she made, her taste, her eyes... Mavis, he loved it. He loved seeing her body covered in hickies, loved seeing the little ones she tried to leave on him when he looked in the mirror. He could feel healing scratches on his back, and he couldn't describe how fucking hot he found it that she marked him that way... that she was so into it that she didn't even notice how her nails dug into him.

Everything about her was so perfect, to him. _Dammit, I'm turning into such a sap,_ he sighed softly as he stared down at his precious fianceè. _Only for you, Levy._

He pulled her closer and just held her, enjoying having her in his arms. He found it funny how, with every woman before her, he'd never once enjoyed cuddling, but he absolutely loved cuddling Levy. _Might be cause the others were all just for sex_ , he thought to himself. But as much as he loved fucking his adorable fianceè, he would be perfectly content to never have sex again as long as she stayed by his side. That's how much he loved her.

"Gajeel..." Levy yawned, stirring in his arms. She let out a sleepy whine as she snuggled into his chest, trying in vain to go back to sleep. But it was too late, her mind was active despite her body's protest.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she looked around sleepily. Her eyes landed on Gajeel... more particularly his chest, which her face was less than an inch from. Gajeel chuckled in amusement as she just admired his physique for a while. He knew she loved his physique, his chest and arms especially. So he let her stare all she wanted. It was all hers, anyways.

He was expecting her to realize she was staring, however. She usually did, and would get adorably flustered. So he was rightfully surprised when she suddenly leaned forward and started kissing his chest and neck. His surprise gave way to amusement quickly, and then lust, as Levy slid her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily. He groaned into the kiss as she bit teasingly at his lower lip.

"Little minx," he growled sensually against her lips as he pulled her closer, "ya ain't gonna be able ta walk by the time I'm done with ya." He warned, rolling so that he was pinning her to the mattress. She moaned cutely at his words and eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist. Fuck, he'd wanted to let her recover some but, if this was what she wanted, who was he to deny her?

-Lemon Alert-

She was already so wet... he just slid right in with a soft groan. Levy let out a sweet cry of pleasure as he set a brutally fast pace she couldn't hope to keep up with. All she could do was cling to him and vocalize her pleasure. Gajeel groaned as he felt her nails digging into his back again, leaving angry red welts behind.

Levy was in heaven. She'd woken up with an unbearable itch needing to be scratched, and Gajeel was beyond willing to help her scratch it. He was taking her roughly and she fucking loved it. Already she was close, so very close... right there! Right there!

And then he suddenly stopped...

The sound that escaped her lips could only be described as despair. Gajeel chuckled as he looked down at his little fianceè, who looked extremely disappointed at being denied her release when she was so fucking close. Where was the fun in instant gratification?

Yea, he could make her cum and do it quickly... and she would fucking love it. But it would be much more fun to watch her beg him for it. So, with a teasing grin, he slowed down. He moved at a gentle pace, acting like he was trying to be sweet and tender, and he placed soft kisses along her neck and shoulder for effect. It didn't take long for Levy to start begging.

"Gajeel, pleaseee..." she whined so cutely for him, tugging at his hair in frustration as he tortured her with the gentle lovemaking.

"What, ya don't like it?" he teased with a grin. "Where's yer sense of romance, shrimp?" She just pouted.

"I don't want romance right now." she complained. "Please, Gajeel..."

"Please what?" he grinned. "Tell me exactly what you want, baby."

"I want you to fuck me hard and fast." she said brazenly, despite her cute blush. Gajeel grinned, loving how she was becoming more vocal about her wants and needs in bed. "Pleaseee..."

"If I do that... you really won't be able to walk." he warned again with a chuckle.

"I don't care." Levy said firmly. Gajeel just grinned and gave a few rough thrusts, watching as she moaned happily and tossed her head back, thinking he was going to keep up that pace. She whined loudly in protest when he suddenly pulled completely out of her. " _Gajeeeel..._ stop teasing me."

She really should have seen it coming. Gajeel loved to tease her in bed, and it frustrated her to no end until he finally gave her what she wanted... though she had to admit, he always gave her a wonderful reward for dealing with his teasing...

"Get on yer hands and knees, baby." his words surprised her, and she blinked up at him as he sat up from her. He still had that mischievous look in his eye, so she was hesitant to move... but dammit, she was too curious not to. So she slowly got on all fours in front of him, looking over her shoulder to see what he would do.

Gajeel had come to a sudden realization in the midst of his teasing. They'd yet to do doggy style. This was to his utter shame, as it was a very common, and very wonderful, position. One of his favorites. How could they not have done this yet? They'd tried so many other positions... he decided it was about fucking time they did doggy style. Forget the teasing, this would be much more fun!

So, with a grin, Gajeel grabbed a nearby pillow and put it near her head. She gave him a confused look. "Fer ya to scream into, baby... cause yer _really_ gonna like this." he chuckled at her, grabbing her hips and pulling her ass back a bit.

Levy shivered with anticipation at his words. His voice wasn't teasing anymore... so she knew he was telling the truth. Gajeel grinned as he palmed her wonderful perky ass for a minute, letting the anticipation build within her. When she least expected it, he gave a powerful thrust forward, smiling widely at her surprised mewl of pleasure.

And then the fun really began.

 _Oh, sweet Mavis, he's so deep_ , Levy thought as endless cries fell from her lips. Gajeel held onto her hips firmly as he slammed into her, taking her roughly with a huge grin on his face. Levy was absolutely loving it, and he was beyond pleased. Her arms had collapsed at some point, and now she held tightly to the pillow for support, crying and moaning into it just like he'd promised she would.

Levy yelped in surprise and pleasure when his large hand suddenly collided harshly with her ass. She turned bright pink as she realized... she liked it. Gajeel's amused chuckle let her know he knew it, too. When his next strike came, she couldn't help but moan. Gajeel just grinned wickedly. His little fianceè liked a bit of pain, eh? Oh, he could so work with that.

Levy all but sobbed into the pillow as the bliss was beginning to overwhelm her. She could feel her end coming quickly, and she was beginning to shake from the pleasure. She cried out at the pleasurable pain that came when Gajeel suddenly grabbed a fist full of her hair, pulling her head back with a groan of his own.

"Fuck, Levy, I better hear my name when you cum. Scream it good and loud for me." he demanded with a growl, loving the way she shuddered at his dark tone. It seemed like not even three seconds later, when she finally came hard around him. His name fell from her lips in a loud cry as she clamped down around him, and he groaned loudly as it was the final thing he needed to reach his own end.

They collapsed together, Gajeel rolling off to the side and pulling her into his arms as they both tried to catch their breath. Levy still shook from aftershocks, moaning cutely against him as she reveled in her pleasure. Gajeel grinned at this, watching her happily as she began to come down from her high. Mavis, he loved seeing her look so dazed, so pleasured... so well fucked.

They lay there in comfortable silence for a while, simply reveling in each other's presence. Levy was the first to break the silence, looking up at Gajeel with an adorable blush and a cute smile.

"I'm ready for the romantic sex now." she whispered, and Gajeel grinned with a hearty chuckle.

"I've created a monster. A horny, sex addicted monster." he chuckled as he rolled over to lean over her. "Mavis, love, yer givin me a run for my money." he grinned wickedly then, licking his lips hungrily. "I fucking love it."

* * *

Guess who has a laptop again?! This girl! Woo. I'm gonna go back and fix the weird formatting in the previous chapters. Hope you guys liked the steamy lemon, I know y'all wanted one!

Anyways, thanks for reading!

-Everythingnerd12


	45. Invitations

**Chapter 45**

Levy looked around the room, silently observing, learning. She sat close to Gajeel at the large table, occasionally looking at his papers out of curiosity while the council talked about boring mundane issues. Reports were good, they were making money, there were a few new recruits, etc. It was boring. Levy was a doctor, not a businesswoman.

Sure, she had to take a few economics classes, and she did well in them. But she'd rather learn about the conversion of energy within cells again than this. Still, she wanted to be informed. She wanted to do her part for the family. She wanted to be a good future wife to Gajeel. So she came with him to the council meeting to learn about the going-ons of the family.

So far it was mostly business jargon she couldn't decipher. A look at Gajeel told her he would explain it all later. She nodded with a silent sigh and listened on. She looked at the Don, who sat at the head of the table, smoking a cigar like usual. He was listening intently to each council member, taking note of their reports, assuring them he would address their complaints. He didn't look bored at all, as he was focusing on taking care of his family. Levy glanced at Gajeel and saw the same concentration on his face. She had to smile a bit.

It seemed Gajeel would be a good leader in the future. Already, he was focusing on the family's needs intently. She saw him write down a few notes, even, on solutions to problems or problems to address later. This was not unnoticed by the council, and many of the members even addressed Gajeel with their concerns, knowing he would be the one to handle them if his father had too much on his plate. Gajeel answered them with the same calmness and authority as his father, and each council member seemed satisfied by his responses.

Finally, the official business portion of the meeting ended, and they began to focus on current issues within the family. Certain people did not pay protection money this month, there was a new business they were looking into taking over, someone really needed to deal with the Chief of Police, who was getting far too close to sniffing out one of the council members, etc. Gajeel said he would speak with Erza about the Chief and, if needed, they would plan to silence him, be it by blackmail or by more... permanent means. And then the most important topic came up.

What were they going to do about Jude Heartfilia?

Jude Heartfilia was a very, very powerful man with many strong allies as well as many powerful enemies. Fairy Tail was now officially included in the latter. Jude had provoked their wrath by daring to attack Fairy Tail, targeting the Don in an assassination attempt. It was something they just could not allow to go unpunished, and everyone agreed to that. But how to go about this punishment... that was the question.

"I don't think he fully thought the attack through. Surely he realizes how many of our companies have close ties to his? A boycott would severely hurt him." one member suggested, looking over their papers. "We would have to find another supplier for some parts... but we would be doing that anyways, after all this."

"Fair point." Metallicana nodded. "However, he would bounce right back. Jude is a strong businessman, despite his tendency to let anger affect his decisions. He would recover quickly from something like that. No, he needs a far more severe punishment."

"Perhaps we should call in for a favor from the king. He does owe us one." someone else threw out, but the Don shook his head.

"I would not waste such a precious resource on something like this... yet." the don said calmly. "No, we must try to figure this out on our own first."

"Old man, what if we formed an alliance with Blue Pegasus or Sabertooth?" Gajeel spoke up, earning everyone's attention. "I know we ain't got good history with them, but Heartfilia's done worse to them than he has to us."

"The enemy of my enemy." Don Metallicana nodded sagely, inhaling deeply on his cigar. "I think that is a fair start. Look into it, boy, I'll give that project to you." Gajeel just nodded at this, and the meeting continued with several other council members throwing out suggestions and ideas. Eventually, the meeting concluded.

"Learn anything, Lev?" Gajeel glanced down at his little fiancee as he escorted her out of the mansion to their waiting car. She looked tired, and rightfully so. It was late at night, the meeting went long, and it was mostly boring business talk. Gajeel would be bored, too, if he didn't have to focus on everything like she did.

"Hm... I learned that I'm glad I'm a doctor." Levy giggled softly, earning a hearty chuckle from her future husband.

"I see. Anything else?"

"Well... I guess I learned that I need to learn more. Like... how many families are there? I had only ever heard of Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord before..."

"Ah. Guess I ain't gone over all that." Gajeel hummed, opening the car door for her and sliding inside the car after her. He patted Lily's shoulder in a signal to go on and take them home, and then he got situated in the back with his girl. Levy leaned against him with a soft, sleepy sigh. "There's more families than I can count, shrimp." he told her once they were settled in for the ride. "But we mostly deal with the big ones and the local ones. Sabertooth is a big one... and Blue Pegasis is more of a local one, but they're pretty strong for their size."

"And Fairy Tail doesn't have good history with them?"

"Yea. Sabertooth's old Don used ta be my old man's best friend. They had a falling out a long fucking time ago, like before I was even born." he explained. "Anyways, that Don died a few years ago, and his adopted sons took over together. Been tryin to patch things up a bit with them since then, but it's got a rough start." Gajeel sighed. He was the one responsible for the little progress they had made. It helped that he and the younger son, Rogue, got along well enough. His brother, however, not so much.

"And Blue Pegasis... they're pretty new, fer a family. They're just a town over. They made the mistake of trying to gain territory in Magnolia, but we put a stop to that pretty fast, and that's their reason for not liking us. We've gotten up to trading terms with them, at least, but we ain't really friends, if you know what I mean." Levy nodded to that, listening closely despite her urge to just curl up against him and go to sleep.

"So how are you going to form an alliance with families that don't like you?" Levy yawned softly. Gajeel wrapped an arm around her, letting her rest her head on his chest, and he smiled down at his sleepy bride to be.

"I got some ideas, shrimp, but nothing solid yet."

"Maybe we should... invite them to our wedding." Levy suggested sleepily as she snuggled against him. "As a show of goodwill? And then they'll both be there so you can," adorable yawn, "talk about the alliance."

"Interesting idea." Gajeel hummed. Their wedding was only two weeks away, after all. Well within the time limit his old man had given him. But... "Aren't ya worried that'll cut into our celebrations?"

"Well, yea... but this is important... right?"

"Very." Gajeel nodded with a sigh. He really didn't want to take away from their celebrations... especially not from Levy. Weddings were the bride's big day, after all, and it should go how she wanted.

"Why don't you have the meeting during the reception?" Lily's suggestion surprised him. "Wedding receptions are usually pretty long. You can sneak off for a few minutes to discuss the alliance, and nobody will care."

"Yea, that's a great idea." Levy agreed, waking up a bit. "Do it while everyone is dancing or something. I will be going off to change dresses before our dance, anyways." she smiled sweetly at him. His mother's dress, while stunning, was fairly restrictive and hard to move around in, so Levy had found a beautiful but simple white dress to use for the reception.

"Well... only if yer sure yer okay with that, Lev." Gajeel sighed with a soft smile. Levy nodded happily. It was a perfect solution, after all, and nobody would miss the groom for a few minutes. "Then I think it's a great idea. Thanks, Lil."

"My pleasure."

* * *

A knock on the door got Sting's attention, and he looked up from his work as his brother walked into the office. "Oh, Rogue, it's just you." Sting sighed, flipping a paper in annoyance. "I tell you what, dad never mentioned just how much paperwork this gig involved."

"Yes, he did. You just never paid attention to that." Rogue shook his head in mild amusement. They were silent for a few moments, both remembering their father fondly. Then Rogue coughed and held out an envelope. "This came for us today, from Fairy Tail."

"Oh? Let's have a look." Sting took the small envelope from his brother and opened it, taking a moment to read it silently before he choked on a laugh. "What?! This can't be real!" He laughed, quickly handing the little invitation to Rogue, who read it curiously.

"To the twin leaders of Sabertooth, Sting and Rogue, you are hereby cordially invited to the ceremony binding Gajeel Redfox and Levy McGarden in holy... matrimony... what?! That idiot's getting married?!" Rogue asked in shock, rereading the invitation to be certain that's what he saw. Indeed, that was what was written there, in elegant cursive handwriting. Holy Matrimony. The future don of Fairy Tail was getting hitched.

"Bout time he stopped being a man-whore." Sting laughed heartily, more amused than shock. He'd heard, of course, the the little McGarden heir had been found alive, and was under Fairy Tail's protection. And his scouts reported that that war they had against Phantom Lord was pretty much over the girl. It seemed Gajeel was adamant about getting her back, even risking his own life for her. So Sting knew there was something interesting going on with Black Steel. He just hadn't known it was this... serious.

"Well... are we going to go?" Rogue questioned his brother after his shock subsided. Sting hummed as he thought it over. They weren't on very good terms with Fairy Tail. True, that was slowly changing, but... there were still hostile feelings on both side. That, however, was mainly focused on Metallicana and their father... and with their father six feet under, even those hostile feelings were beginning to fade. Gajeel, himself, had made several attempts to build bridges over the past few years. He didn't want more enemies than allies when he took over as don in a few years and, unfortunately, his father had a bad habit of making enemies. Metallicana was a terrific leader, make no doubt, but his people skills needed... work.

"Well, you can go if you want, Rogue. But I don't think we should both go. What if it's some trap by Metallicana?" Sting hummed. He knew that was a slim chance, as the don was reasonable enough to understand the sins of their father were not their sins. However, he was hesitant for them both to go anywhere together. If something happened to them, Sabertooth would be without any leaders.

"Very well. I will inform them of my attendance." Rogue decided. He did get along with Gajeel far better than his brother did, after all. "But I need your help picking out a wedding gift."

* * *

"Boss! Hey, boss! This came in the mail for you!" a rather dashing-looking young man in a pristine white suit hurried into the office, where Don Bob of Blue Pegasus was unusually focused on his work. Usually, the don would be out and about, teaching his wonderfully adorable family about true beauty. Today, however, doing boring work simply could not be avoided.

"Yes, my beautiful boy?! Tell me, what beautiful mail do I have today?" Bob perked up at the very welcome distraction. The young man handed Bob the letter, allowing him to read in in silence. Bob's eyes went wide, then filled with happy, manly tears. "How marvelous! How spectacular! How beautiful! I've been invited to a beautiful wedding, and what a marvelous chance it is to repair relations! Quickly, fetch Ichiya-chan, I must inform him of this beautiful news at once!"

* * *

"Anyone else I should send an invitation to?" Levy asked Gajeel with a sweet smile as she was writing out the invitations to their wedding. Gajeel leaned over her shoulder, looking at her list of people to invite. The entire family, of course, was coming already. There was no need to invite them. But she was sending special invitations to Blue Pegasus and Sabertooth, as well as a few extremely important allies Gajeel had already told her about.

"Actually, my old man just told me there's a small little family that's trying to ally with us." Gajeel hummed, placing a kiss to her temple before moving to it next to her at the table. "They're calling themselves Cait Shelter. I ain't met nobody from there before, only my old man has. They got their hands in textile, and they're pretty good at it, it seems."

"So I should invite them?" Levy asked with a smile. "Who should I write it out to?"

"Think the old man said their boss' name is Roubaul." Gajeel scratched his head as he thought. He grunted in annoyance as his hand got stuck in his hair. "Damn knots."

"Alright, I'll make sure they get one." Levy giggled, writing it down before turning an amused look to her fiance. "Need help?"

"Che." Gajeel scoffed, but he let her untangle his hand from his hair. She ended up having to climb onto his lap to reach better, and he grinned as this put her chest at eye level with him. Levy blushed as she realized it, too, but she focused on his hair with an amused giggle. The instant Gajeel's hand was free, he wrapped both arms around her and kissed her. Levy laughed into the kiss as she returned it, sliding her arms around his neck as he held her close and kissed her sweetly. When they moved to part ways, Levy's eyes went wide as she realized... her own hand was now stuck in his hair, too. As soon as Gajeel noticed it, he growled in annoyance and set to work helping her free herself.

"Fuck it! I'm getting a haircut, shrimp." Gajeel growled in frustration once she was finally free.

"Eh, but you love your long hair?" Levy said in surprise.

"I know, baby, but dammit... it's too much of a hassle." he sighed heavily. "For fuck's sake, Levy, you just got _trapped_ in there. That's too much!" he grumbled, pouting at the future loss of his hair. He'd spent years growing it out, and he'd put in a lot of effort to make it look good. All that work, gone to waste, because he was definitely getting it chopped off. He wouldn't back out on that... but that didn't mean he liked it. Levy gave a soft amused sigh, then smiled sweetly at her pouting fiance.

"You know, I bet you'll look so handsome with short hair." she encouraged. Gajeel smiled wrly at her attempt to make him feel better.

"Think so?"

"Well, you would look handsome no matter what." she assured him, and he gave her a mischievous grin.

"Even if I was bald?" he mocked.

"Well... let's not get carried away, here." she teased back with a giggle, earning a hearty, amused laugh and a huge smile from him. He gave her a quick kiss before standing up with her.

"Thanks, baby. Now c'mon, you can work on the invitations later. This hair needs fixed ASAP."

* * *

"Oh, how interesting." Roubaul mused as he read the invitation over a few times. He looked to his granddaughter as she walked into the office. "Oh, Wendy. How was work, dear?"

"Long but good. We had a set of triplets this time, and they were so cute." Wendy smiled at her grandfather, who chuckled in amusement. "What do you have there, grandfather?"

"A wedding invitation, dear. You know how I was trying to get in touch with Fairy Tail, yes?" he chuckled as the girl nodded. "They've responded by inviting me to the don's son's wedding."

"Is that so? Can I see?" Wendy smiled, gently taking the invitation from him. "To the leader of Cait Shelter, Roudaul, you and a guest are hereby cordially invited to the ceremony binding Gajeel Redfox and Levy McGarden in Holy Matrimony." she hummed. "How nice of them to... wait..." Her eyes turned back to the paper and she read it again... and again. "This says... Levy McGarden."

"Indeed. She's the sole heir to the McGarden family, didn't you know? She was missing for years but apparently she's been under Fairy Tail's protection all this time." Roudaul chuckled in amusement, oblivious to his granddaughter's total shock at seeing that name. All she could do was stare at the invitation and read that name over and over again.

 _"Levy McGarden..."_

* * *

Hey everyone! I'm so glad I got another chapter up for y'all, and how's that for a fucking twist, huh?! Ahaha! I have so many ideas in my head right now, you have no idea.

Please, please, please tell me what you think! I need feedback. I want love! Jk but for real, tell me what you think.

Thanks for Reading, like always!

-Everythingnerd12


	46. Protecting the Family

**Chapter 46**

Erza Scarlet, the Chief of Police's right hand man - er, woman - was a very, very busy woman. It was rare that she had any downtime, especially at the office, so she reveled in these moments whenever she got the chance. Beautiful classical music played in the background, the lights in her office were dimmed, and there was a huge slice of moist strawberry cake sitting on her desk in front of her... begging to be eaten... to be savored. Erza dug out her ceremonial golden fork and eyed the cake with a hungry grin. The fork had just barely touched the frosting when a sharp knock came at her door.

Muttered female curses could be heard from outside Erza's office, and the officer that dared to interrupt her downtime audibly gulped. Damn that receptionist for sending _him_ to disturb Erza! But someone had to do it... she had very important guests after all. It took a minute, but the office door finally swung open. Officer Scarlet leveled the lower ranking officer with a steely glare, and he once more gave an audible gulp.

"S-sorry to interrupt... but there are guests here to see you." the officer practically shook as he informed her. "A Mr. Robertson and Miss McGarden, sir." He watched as Erza gave a heavy sigh, the anger fading slightly. These were, indeed, guests she needed to see immediately.

"Fine. Send them in." she dismissed him with an annoyed tone. He hurried away, lucky to have escaped her wrath... this time.

A few minutes later, the office door opened again, this time from the outside. Erza gave Levy a sweet smile as she was the first to enter the room, wearing a cute blue sundress. And then Erza's jaw dropped in absolute shock when Gajeel walked into her office wearing his normal suit but... sweet Mavis, he was missing most of his hair!

Indeed... Gajeel's notorious and somewhat famous thick mane of wild hair... it was no more. Cut off, gone forever, leaving a much shorter, still kind of shaggy, spiky haircut in its wake. Erza had to admit, it made him look extremely more mature... more his age, even. But everyone, _everyone_ , knew just how much he loved his long hair. It was part of him, part of his identity... his calling card, almost as much as his piercings were. And it was just... gone!

"Oi, you done gawking?" Gajeel scoffed as he took a seat in front of her desk, pulling Levy to sit on his lap as there were no more chairs. Erza flushed the smallest amount. She was usually more professional than this, and it was rude to stare so... open-mouthed as she'd been. Levy was giggling, finding it highly amusing as she'd gotten to see everyone's reaction to Gajeel's haircut today. Lily had been the first, having dropped the glass he held out of pure shock. Natsu nearly tackled him, thinking he was an impostor and a threat until Gajeel started shouting at him and he recognized his voice. But the most violent reaction had to have been the Don's. They'd gone to see him that morning, and he'd been eating breakfast at his desk when Levy and Gajeel walked into his office. The poor man nearly died from choking, and it took a few good hard hits from Gajeel to his stomach to dislodge the food and save his father. He had no intention of being the Don _just yet..._

"S-sorry, it's just... you gave me a huge shock." Erza coughed, bringing back her serious, professional tone. "What... what made you make such a drastic change?"

"Reasons." he gruffed, not wanting to admit that it was mostly because his hands, and Levy's, kept getting trapped in that mane of his. Even when they were intimate, there'd been a few times Levy had gotten stuck and they'd had to stop to free her. He'd been fed up with it for a while, honestly, and them both getting stuck the other day was the straw that broke the camel's back for him. It was more than time for a change.

"Very well..." Erza was still curious, but she let it slide. This time. "Anyways, what can I do for you? It's not like you to willingly enter a police station."

"Need to talk about yer boss. Anyone asks, I came ta invite ya to our wedding and catch up." Gajeel said firmly. Erza nodded, agreeing with the cover story. She pressed a button on her desk, and her door was magnetically locked. There would be no interruptions.

"And why is Miss Levy here, with you, if we are talking about something so... _important?"_ Erza asked. Not that she didn't trust Levy. But she was still new to this life, after all, and she'd thought for sure Gajeel would have been trying to shield her from a lot of this.

"She's learning how things work." Gajeel explained, and Levy nodded in agreement. Erza hummed at this, then gave Levy a smile.

"Very well, then. Glad to see you're getting more involved." she smiled, and Levy smiled back. Erza turned to Gajeel now and raised an eyebrow at him. "So tell me, what is going on?"

"The chief's gettin too close to sniffin out one of the council members." Gajeel told her firmly. "He's become a real pain lately, anyways, and I decided it's time to deal with him for good. Either silence him with blackmail or disappear him." Levy fought off a small shiver at that. He decided it. Not the Don. True, the Don agreed with him, but Gajeel did have the authority to make that decision on his own. It was... intimidating, to know he had the power to decide if and when someone gets silenced or... disappeared.

"I see." Erza said, a dark look on her face. She knew this day would come eventually. The chief always had it out for Fairy Tail, but never had any leads or solid evidence. Now... now he was too close to finding something.

"I know ya've been told to keep any dirt you find on him." Gajeel looked at her expectantly. Erza stared at him a moment before giving a heavy sigh.

"I hate to say it... but I've got nothing." she reluctantly told him. "The chief's clean. No dirty laundry of any kind. No angles to work with. Went to a prestigious school, married his high school sweetheart who died young, never remarried, no kids, few friends. The man's thrown himself into work and that's all he does." she explained. There was no way to blackmail him, strong arm him. No family to threaten, no dirt on him to ruin his career. The man's nose was clean as could be.

"Then he needs to go." Gajeel said with so much authority and conviction that Levy could not stop herself from shivering. A man's fate had just been decided. Gajeel had sentenced a good person to death. For doing his job. To protect the family. _To protect them_, a small voice in the back of her head whispered. Because she was as much a part of the family as Gajeel was now. If the family went down... she did, too.

"What do you have planned?" Erza asked, eyeing Levy who seemed a touch paler than before. She was very new to all this, it was understandable that plotting someone's death would get to her. But Erza was pleasantly surprised how well Levy was holding up. She was even listening intently to the conversation, learning as much as she could from these interactions.

"Good old fashioned assassination." Gajeel shrugged nonchalantly before resting his chin on the top of Levy's head. He bit back a grin at how small she was. "No real reason to plan anything big. I'll send someone to handle it. Might even just do it myself." He felt Levy shift a bit uncomfortably at his words, but she relaxed quickly enough. She was coming to terms with the fact that her future husband did very, _very_ bad things. Like torture. And _murder_.

"Everyone will know it was Fairy Tail." Erza pointed out, and Gajeel gave a dark grin.

"That's the point." he chuckled with a dangerous grin that made him look cruel despite the tiny adorable woman just under his chin. Even Erza had to admit, Gajeel was quite intimidating in moods like this. Scary, even, despite Levy's adorableness to even things out. "Gets a very big message across, don't ya think? Don't fucking mess with us. Or this is what happens." he let that sink in for a moment before giving another chuckle. "Look, _Officer Scarlet,_ all I need from you is a time. You keep a close eye on him, and when he's definitely home alone, we'll take care of the rest."

"Very well." it was easy enough. She could probably even convince the Chief to go home and rest. Gajeel grinned and stood up, setting Levy on her feet and taking her hand.

"Good, then we're done here." he said simply. Erza nodded and unlocked the door, and Gajeel began to leave, taking Levy with him.

"I really hope you can make it to the wedding, Miss Erza." Levy gave her a sweet smile as she followed Gajeel to the door.

"I plan on it, no worries." Erza smiled back before giving her a serious look. "And Miss Levy, I must say... everyone is proud of you for stepping up so much. Trust me. We all appreciate you." Levy blushed cutely at the praise and gave a small but genuine smile.

"Thank you. That really means a lot."

"See, shrimp? Told ya." Gajeel chuckled softly, sliding an arm around her waist and escorting her out of the office. "Stop worrying so much."

* * *

Levy shifted nervously in the back seat of the car, looking out into the night through the tinted windows. She could see the house from here, they were just a street over. In that small, unassuming house, Gajeel, Natsu, and Gray were waiting for their prey. For the Chief.

"My lady, try not to move so much, it moves the car and makes us stand out." Lily whispered from the driver's seat, glancing back at her through the rear view mirror. This was as close as Levy would ever get to seeing Gajeel at 'work.' Taking care of business for the family. These were the kinds of things Gajeel was used to doing. Silencing threats were his specialty.

"I'm sorry, I'm just... worried." Levy responded with a timid whimper, trying to still herself.

"They'll be fine." Lily assured her. "Trust me, my lady. Gajeel can handle himself quite well." Levy could only nod and trust that he was right. She held her breath and froze as she watched a car pull up into the driveway. A man stepped out, and she realized that this was it...

* * *

Chief Ao was a hard working man. Tall, bald, and quite muscular, he was also a fairly intimidating man. He was the definition of a good guy, however. He could never be bribed or bought. He'd worked hard to get his position the right way, and he was trying his hardest to make something of that effort... by ending Fairy Tail. And he just knew he had a solid lead this time. Previous leads had gone cold but this one... this one was his ticket. He knew it.

He was only home for a short rest, and only at Erza Scarlet's insistence. He was working himself to death and he knew she was just worried about him. His second in command was truly the best. So he obliged and headed home for a dearly needed rest.

The chief walked into his home without a thought to the world. He was dead tired, and his mind was on bed. He unclipped his utility belt and laid it on the coffee table in his living room, his gun with it. Were he more awake he would have waited til he got to his room for that. But he was so tired and the belt was so heavy.

With a heavy sigh, the big man walked into the kitchen. The instant he flipped the light on, his eyes landed on the heavily pierced man sitting calmly at his kitchen table, his chin rested on his knuckles as he leaned on the table, looking like he owned the damn thing. Chief Ao was instantly awake, subconsciously reaching for his gun at his hip, only to remember he'd _just_ taken it off.

 _"Chief,_ welcome home." the man and the table chuckled with a dark grin. "I've been waiting for you."

"Who the hell are you?" Ao demanded, stepping back slowly towards the living room, planning to go for his gun if he saw a chance to. Pressure and cold steel against the back of his head made him freeze and swallow thickly. He glanced behind him to see a pink haired man holding a gun to his head, giving him a dark, deadly look that screamed 'don't fucking try anything.' He looked back at the man at the table with a glare. The man just grinned and motioned to the chair across from him.

"Let's have a little _chat._ "

A minute later found the chief sitting at the table, the pink haired man standing by the kitchen entrance. Another man with black hair was guarding the back door that led out of the kitchen. Ao stared at the grinning man across from him, clearly their leader.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Ao demanded, somehow managing to keep his voice calm and level. The man across from him chuckled.

"I'm someone I'm sure ya'd just love ta get yer hands on." he laughed before giving him a dark grin. "The name's Gajeel Redfox." he had a shit-eating grin on his face as the Chief visibly paled at his name.

Ao swallowed thickly as he understood who this man was. And what his presence met. It was well known that Black Steel Gajeel was the future leader of Fairy Tail. It was also well known that he was the last man you wanted in your home... because seeing his face meant you would be silenced. One way or another. There were, of course, many who were silenced by being forced to join Fairy Tail. But there were far more who were silenced with a 9mm to the head.

"Take it ya've heard of me." Gajeel laughed darkly at the quite pale police chief. Ao could only nod. "Then ya probably know why I'm here."

"To kill me." the chief answered with a surprisingly calm voice. Gajeel chuckled and stood up, leaning over the table to get a closer look at him.

"Nah... see... when ya say it like that, it's like I didn't give ya a choice." Gajeel grinned coldly at him. "You see, Chief, I _silence_ people. One way or another. But everyone gets a choice." he laughed as he stood up to his full, intimidating, height and adjusted his tie with a cocky smirk. "Way I see it, ya got two options, pal. You can join us or... I think yer alternative is pretty obvious."

"I refuse." the chief said firmly, making Gajeel grin.

"Oh? Which one? Do tell." he laughed.

"Both!" the chief grabbed the pistol he had stowed under the table and aimed it at Gajeel's face with a growl. Only to freeze when nobody moved or even flinched. Hell, Gajeel was still giving him a very dangerous looking grin. Hesitating a bit, Ao pulled the trigger... and nothing. His last hope... gone.

"What, ya really thought I'd be stupid enough to not check every nook and cranny of this house fer weapons?" Gajeel laughed heartily. "It sure helped we had fair warning that yer house was loaded with em. Really gotta thank Erza for that one." his grin turned smug as he saw the shock flash across Ao's face. "Why so surprised? I'm _sure_ ya knew we had someone on the inside."

"I... never thought it would be her." Ao said through his shock, feeling the sting of betrayal. His second in command, his closest and only friend betrayed him.

"Her, Rick, Summer, Morty..." Gajeel counted off with a chuckle. "That's just in yer higher ranks. No clue how many are in _all_ of yer ranks. Plus we got a fair amount in the FBI. Not to mention the city council and the mayor." he loved seeing the understanding come to the chief. The understanding that he never would have been able to so much as scratch Fairy Tail. They had their hands in _everything_.

Fairy Tail always won. Always.

"So tell me, Chief. Does that change yer mind any?"

"No." Ao said with conviction, knowing very well that his words had just assured his demise. Gajeel just chuckled and pulled a pistol out from beneath his suit jacket. A simple 9mm with a silencer, nothing fancy, but it got the job done just fine.

"I gotta say, chief, yer a man of virtue. Never backed down from yer own morals. It's... _refreshing."_ Gajeel hummed as he cocked his weapon and took aim. He pressed the barrel of the gun right between the policeman's eyes. Ao stared right up at him with hard eyes.

"Not gonna fake a suicide?" that's usually how Fairy Tail did these things... which made it quite difficult to tell what was _actually_ their doing and what was self inflicted. Which sure had made his job hard all these years. Gajeel just grinned, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Not this time, Chief. No, see... _everyone_ will know about this one." he chuckled darkly, a sickly pleased grin on his face as he met the chief's eyes. "Consider yerself our personal messenger, Chief. _This_ is what happens to those that fuck with Fairy Tail."

 _Bang!_

* * *

Levy sighed heavily in relief when Gajeel opened the car door and slid into the back seat. Gray hopped into the front seat while Natsu took off down the road on his motorcycle, speeding away in the opposite direction. People would remember a loud speeding motorcycle more than a slow-moving van... it was a distraction to keep eyes off Gajeel's vehicle.

"Let's get outta here, Lil." Gajeel said as he pulled his tiny fiancee into his lap, giving her a comforting embrace. He knew she'd been worried this whole time. She leaned into him with a soft, relieved sigh. This was just... something else she'd have to get used to. Knowing where he was, what he was doing... it made it that much more stressful and worrying.

Levy stayed in his arms the entire ride home, even when they'd stopped to drop Gray off. She was asleep by the time they got home, curled up against him and holding on tightly to his shirt. Lily opened the back door for him when they were finally parked.

"She did well while you were gone. She was worried, but she didn't seem upset over what you were doing. More for your safety, it seems." Lily told him as they walked to the house, Levy still asleep as Gajeel carried her with ease.

"That's good." Gajeel hummed, staring down at his tiny fiancee. Had she gone with him on a job like this just a few months ago, she'd be crying her eyes out and extremely upset at the thought of Gajeel killing anyone... innocent or not. Now... sure, she didn't like it, but she was far more concerned for his safety than anything else. "She's adjusting."

"Quite well." Lily nodded, rather proud of his charge. She was handling crime life far better than anyone had expected her to. "She'll do just fine as a Don's wife, Gajeel. Just fine."

* * *

"It is with heavy heart that I stand before you today. My heart is breaking, as what I must tell you weighs heavily on me." Erza said solemnly as she stood at the podium, dressed in her formal police uniform and surrounded by microphones, cameras, and bright lights. "I deeply regret to inform the city of Magnolia... that Police Chief Ao Tabo has been found in his home... murdered. There are signs of gang activity, and I personally assure you that the perpetrators of this horrible act will be found and brought to justice-" Gajeel turned off the television, startling Levy, who'd been watching the news with wide eyes. She looked to her fiance curiously, finding him fresh from a shower wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. He gave her a wry smile and set the remote down on a side table.

"Ya should probably watch something else, shrimp." he said softly as he moved to sit on the couch beside her, taking a long drink of his beer before cuddling up to her. He was glad when she cuddled back, resting her head on his chest with a soft sigh. She wasn't scared of him. She knew what he'd done, knew that he'd killed a really good man... but she wasn't scared of him in the slightest. She just snuggled into him, smiling cutely as his arms wrapped around her to hold her closer.

"Hey, Gajeel?" Levy asked quietly after a while. He looked down at her and found her frowning slightly. "How do you... get over it? It... doesn't even seem to phase you." she said softly. Gajeel gave a light sigh, running his free hand along her back soothingly.

"At this point it doesn't." he agreed with her. Killing didn't bother him. _It used to,_ he mentally recalled times when it did. "When I was first starting out, it was... hard. You just learn to move on."

"How old were you?" she asked curiously, absentmindedly tracing patterns on his chest.

"First kill?" he hummed and she nodded against him. "I was ten. Someone tried to kill my mother. She managed to knock his gun away, and I got to it before he did." he explained to her before giving a dry laugh at the memory. "Didn't even know how ta hold it right, and it was _heavy_. No idea how I managed it, but the guy ended up with a hole between his eyes." he shrugged. "Old man started trainin me right after." He finished off his beer and wrapped his newly freed arm around her, holding her close to him as she continued drawing mindless patterns on his chest. He had no doubt as to why she was asking. She still felt guilty about Brain, and this wasn't their first time talking about it by any means.

"Look, baby... when ya learn to accept the fact that it's all for the family's safety... it gets easier. Ya weren't just protectin yerself. Ya protected me, the old man, Lucy, Juvia, their kids... ya protected the whole fuckin family, Levy." he told her soothingly as he gently rubbed her back.

"Really? Even you?" she looked up at him with watery eyes and he gave her a gentle smile and a firm nod.

"Yer my protector as much as I am yours." he told her sweetly, bringing a hand up to gently cup her face. "You've saved me so many times. Got a scar to prove at least one of 'em." he chuckled, pointing to the bullet scar just under his rib cage. He smiled as Levy turned her attention to it, pressing her tiny fingers against the slightly raised scar tissue. It didn't stand out much against the various other scars crisscrossing his body... but to _them,_ it was the first one they saw. Every time. The scar that started it all.

"I like to imagine our strings of fate end at my ear and your scar." Levy gave a small giggle. If he hadn't gotten shot... if she hadn't heard him... they wouldn't be here. Not together. Definitely not alive. Someone would have found Gajeel before he got help... and Laxus would have turned Levy over to Phantom Lord within the next few days. Yes... it was definitely fate that brought them together.

"I know what ya mean." Gajeel smiled softly at his little wife to be. "Can't say I've ever been happy ta get shot before but... I'm fucking glad for this one. Cause it led me right to my soul mate." he kissed her sweetly... then passionately... and there was no more talking after that.

* * *

Wow this one was longer than I intended. Sorry, but these are all kind of fillers while I work on the wedding. I couldn't find a Fairy Tail character I thought would be good to play Chief Ao Tabo. Hell, his name was the hardest part of this chapter. I got it while watching Nurarihyon no Mago. I based Chief's build and name off a character named Aotabo. His personality... eh, not so much.

Hey, is anyone catching my little callbacks to previous chapters? There's a few of them. Sayings, phrases, actions... etc that, yes, are purposefully placed to give a shout-out to older chapters. Lemme know if y'all are catching any of these, haha.

Anyways, hope y'all liked it, and thanks for reading.

Comment, comment, COMMENT!

-Everythingnerd12


	47. Party

**Chapter 47**

Lily grunted as the alcohol burned all the way down, and he quickly slammed his glass down on the counter. It had been a very long time since he'd bothered with the toxic liquid in any form. But tonight was one of celebration, and he decided to partake in the revelries. He glanced across the bar where Gajeel was having a drinking contest with his father, old man Makarov, and some young lady that Lily barely recognized as one of the council members' - Gildarts' to be exact - daughter. Man, was that young lady holding her own against the men that were easily twice her size.

A hard hand clasped Lily on the shoulder, and he looked up as Natsu and Gray took seats beside him. He gave them friendly smiles as the bartender brought over some more drinks. "Pretty tame for a bachelor's party." Natsu commented with a light laugh as he looked around. Indeed, it was quite tame. A couple of guys going to the first random bar they came across, and then just drinking all night. Quite tame, but Lily liked it.

"Heard they both agreed to simple parties." Gray added, taking a sip of his beer. "To keep each other from worrying."

"About what?" Natsu asked.

"Cheating, probably." the other guard shrugged. "You know Gajeel would tear apart any man that laid a hand on Levy, if he ever found out about it."

"Miss Levy would likely do the same to any woman that touched Gajeel." Lily spoke with an amused chuckle. "She does have quite the temper sometimes, one that rivals even Gajeel's."

"True. Damn, those two were made for each other." Natsu laughed. If anyone could handle Gajeel, it would be her. "Now if only they'd stop fucking in random places. Gah, it's so annoying to be stationed at their house these days." Gray laughed at that.

"I know what you mean! You take a risk every time you leave the office that you'll run into them doing it in some weird place." Gray shook his head. "I caught them in the hallway, on the couch, in the kitchen, hell even in the foyer on my way out once."

"Like, I know it's his house but, man, he knows they're never the only ones there!" Natsu huffed before looking at Lily. "You ever catch them at it?"

"I've seen far more than I'd have liked to of my Lady and Gajeel." Lily shook his head, but there was amusement in his voice.

"The worst part? Gajeel doesn't even care." Gray chuckled then. "He sees you? He just laughs and keeps going."

"He's shameless." Natsu shook his head. "But he's always been like that when it came to sex."

"Still, I would have thought he'd mellow out some with Levy."

"I do believe Miss Levy instigates most of it." Lily informed them with a wry grin, earning shocked stares. "I've heard Gajeel comment on it to her, though I didn't hear it very well. Something about him having turned her into an addict."

"Well damn, I knew he was good but that good?" Gray snorted, not entirely surprised. There were strong rumors about Gajeel's prowess with women, how some women were just never the same after a night with him. They'd had to physically stop some women from entering the mansion grounds more than once, because they wanted to see Gajeel again. But he never slept with the same woman twice. Not til Levy came along, anyways. Man, had that been a shock. Gajeel didn't _date_. He just didn't. He fucked, then left. But with Levy he'd made it clear from the start that she was far more than just a good lay.

Natsu and Gray had, for the longest time, thought they'd been sleeping together early on in the relationship. It hadn't been til after Phantom Lord's attack that Lucy and Juvia informed their husbands that Levy was still a virgin, and they in turn informed Lily. Their worlds had been rocked, as none of them had expected that kind of... restraint, from Gajeel. Come to think of it, it was fairly obvious when Levy finally slept with him. They went from acting like they normally did to fucking like rabbits all over the house, seemingly overnight. Lily had to guess it happened after that date Gajeel took her on.

"Well, whatever. Good for them. Still wish they'd stop doing it in obvious places, but at least they're happy together." Gray finally said, and they all nodded in agreement. Good for them.

* * *

Levy was blushing still, by the time the girls dropped her off at home. Mavis, they sure were nosy about her sex life. Still, it was a fun night. They went out to a nice restaurant, just the three of them (with a guard, of course), and ate some really good food. Then they just hung out and talked and talked. Played some games, too, but mostly gossiped and pried into Levy's sex life. Mavis, Levy almost regretted her no alcohol rule tonight. The last thing she wanted was a hangover on her wedding day and she knew if she had one drink, she would have more.

She was glad she agreed to the tame party, however. She just knew that, without that rule, the girls would have hired strippers or something. Mavis, that would have been so embarrassing. Not to mention Gajeel's reaction when he found out would be... bad. He hid it well, but Gajeel was most definitely the jealous type. He'd made it clear to her before they left for their parties that she was _his_ girl and he did _not_ share. Levy had just giggled a little at his possessiveness and reminded him the same went for him. He'd grinned widely at that, then kissed her... and Lily had to break them up or there would be no parties at all that night.

Speaking of Lily...

"My Lady, I could really use some assistance here." Lily called as he walked into the house, a drunk and barely awake Gajeel stumbling in with him. Levy hurried over to them, sliding under Gajeel's other arm to help Lily with his weight. Gajeel was one heavy man. "Thank you. Gray and Natsu all but dumped him on me." Lily scoffed as they helped Gajeel up the stairs.

"What happened to him? I've never seen him this drunk." Levy said, looking at her fiance with a pout. And here she'd hoped he'd be sober enough for one last night of premarital sex. All that talking with the girls about her sex life had really wound her up.

"Cana can fuckin' toss 'em back." Gajeel slurred in answer, just barely coherent enough to understand words. Levy's eyes went wide at this, and then she giggled. She'd heard of the infamous Cana, the family's self-proclaimed residential drunk. It seemed Gajeel was stupid enough to have a drinking contest with her.

"Did you win, at least?" Levy giggled as Lily helped her get him onto their bed.

"Lost. So fuckin hard." Gajeel groaned as he flopped back on the bed.

"The Don was the winner. Just barely." Lily commented with a wry grin before looking to Levy. "Do you need any help with him from here?"

"No, I got it. Thanks, Lily." Levy gave him a sweet smile. He just nodded and left them be, closing the bedroom door on his way out. Levy sighed and looked at the man she was marrying tomorrow. "You're going to have a hangover on our wedding day, Gajeel." she sighed softly as she sat down next to him.

"Don't get... hangovers..." he groaned, covering his face with a pillow to block out the light. "... be fine..." he mumbled. Levy just giggled in amusement and shook her head.

"Alright, well... just get some sleep, Gajeel. I'll take a shower then come to bed." she told him. He just grunted, and she walked off to the bathroom.

When Levy came out of the bathroom several minutes later, she found that Gajeel hadn't moved. He was still dressed in a really nice suit, and he was completely passed out. Loud snoring came from beneath the pillow that covered his head. Levy shook her head in amusement and walked over to him, shaking his shoulder to wake him.

"Gajeel, take your clothes off, at least." she sighed, pulling the pillow away from his face. He blinked groggily up at her, no longer coherent. Levy just sigh and started to unbutton his shirt. It took him a solid minute to understand what she was doing. Levy squeaked in surprise when he suddenly grabbed her wrists roughly and pushed her hands away from him. "Gajeel, you can't sleep in that." Levy huffed angrily when he deflected her hands several more times. Damn, even drunk the man was far stronger than her. Far more stubborn, too.

"Lea me alone." he slurred groggily, his eyes telling her he was too drunk to even know where he was right now. Levy just continued trying to get his clothes off, much to his displeasure. "Stahhhpp, I'm gettin...," he hiccuped before continuing, "married tomorrow... lea me da fuck aloneee." he groaned, continuing to push her hands away. His words made her freeze, and she looked up at him in shock. He didn't recognize her. He thought she was just some woman trying to sleep with him... and he wasn't having any of that.

Levy's heart had never felt so full. Here she'd been so worried he might be tempted that way if he got into a state like this... and here he was trying to fend off anyone that would try to tempt him. It was so... incredibly sweet. And it showed her in a big way that he really, truly loved her.

"Gajeel... it's me. It's Levy." Levy tried to convince him, looking into his eyes for any sign of recognition. He was too drunk. Too drunk and too tired. Levy sighed heavily at this. Here he was being super sweet, and he was too wasted to even know it. She clearly wasn't going to get his clothes off at this rate. Fine, let him wrinkle his nice suit and sleep uncomfortably. She gave a weary sigh and laid down next to him. "Just... go to sleep, dummy." she sighed. He didn't need to be told twice, and snores once more filled the air. Levy soon followed him into the world of dreams.

***Mild Lemon Incoming***

It was nearly three in the morning when Levy was woken up by a handsy Gajeel. She opened her eyes sleepily, moaning cutely as she felt her fiance's hands under her night gown, playing with her breasts teasingly. She looked up at Gajeel, finding that he'd woken up at some point and taken the suit off. He was in just a pair of boxers now, and he was giving her a lopsided grin as he leaned over her. She could smell the alcohol on his breath as he leaned down to kiss her, could taste it on his lips as he claimed hers with a low groan. Even in his drunken state, he kissed her well enough to coax a soft moan from her.

"G-Gajeel, you're still drunk..." Levy panted after the kiss as he moved to bite and suck along her neck. She tried to push him off, but Gajeel just grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the mattress, never faltering in his attack on her neck. She was conflicted on what to do now. She didn't want him to stop, but he was drunk... he probably didn't even know what he was doing. So she tried to squirm free of his grip. She faltered slightly as he began to suck at her neck, earning a small mewl from her. He kissed a burning trail up to her ear and gave it a sharp bite.

"I'm just a little buzzed now, baby, relax." his voice rumbled soothingly in her ear, grinning as she blinked up at him.

"R-really?" she checked, earning a soft chuckle from her lover.

"Can't say I'm exactly sober but... I know what I'm doin." he grinned down at her before licking his lips hungrily, his eyes full of lust as he looked her over. "And I know I _really_ wanna fuck my wife right now."

"I'm not your wife yet." Levy huffed with a small blush. He just grinned and gave her an expecting look. Levy felt herself crumble under the amount of lust showing in his eyes. "You big idiot, come here." she sighed, but there was a smile on her lips as she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down to her. He was quick to claim her lips again, kissing her hungrily now that he had permission to continue.

The still intoxicated Gajeel got right to business, quickly pulling her night gown off and tossing it away without a care. Her panties and his boxers were quick to follow. Gajeel definitely took charge, kissing her hungrily and quickly aligning himself with her core. Levy clung to him tightly as he wasted no time and merely plunged right into her. She let out a loud moan as he set a brisk pace that already had her seeing stars. It was fast, unbelievably so, because Levy was falling into Nirvana in mere minutes, crying out his name to the heavens. Gajeel was rather quick to follow, the alcohol in his system and the brisk pace catching up to him quickly.

"Fuck, Levyyy..." he groaned into her hair as his end hit him suddenly. They stayed in place for a long moment, both just trying to catch their breath. Gajeel rested his forehead against her shoulder with a groan. "Remind me never to drink with Cana again." he finally said after a long while. Levy let out a giggle that turned into a soft moan as he slid from her warmth. He grinned at that before rolling off to the side and pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry if I did anything weird last night, baby. Ya ain't seen me drunk before, have ya?"

"Tonight was the first time." she confirmed quietly.

"I was more than drunk tonight, babe. I was plastered." he laughed dryly before sighing and burying his nose in her hair. "I get horny when I get drunk." he admitted. "So I usually avoid it unless I'm out lookin for a good lay."

"Could have fooled me." Levy giggled against his chest. "You were fending me off pretty violently there for a while."

"Huh?"

"I was trying to get you out of your suit." she told him with a sweet smile, bringing a hand up to cup his face. "You thought I was someone else, trying to get in your pants. You kept telling me to leave you alone... because you were getting married." She leaned up and kissed him happily. "It was so sweet."

"I really did that? While I was drunk?" he asked in surprise. He knew how he got when he was drunk, especially blackout drunk like that, which is why he'd asked Lily to keep an eye on him last night. But he didn't even flirt with Levy in that state? He fought her off? Even he was surprised by that. _I shouldn't be, though... she means everything to me. I guess even my subconscious knows that..._ he smiled as the thought came to him, and he returned his bride's sweet kiss. "Guess that just shows how much you mean to me, Levy."

"It was so sweet." Levy repeated happily, sliding her arms around his neck as she kissed him yet again. He hummed happily as he returned the kissing, his arms around her waist holding her flush against him. Levy squealed when she was suddenly flipped onto her back again, Gajeel quickly caging her with his body once more. He grinned down at her as she blushed cutely at him.

"You didn't think I was done, right? That last one was just a quickie." he chuckled down at her.

"G-Gajeel... we have to sleep at some point, ya know. Today's the big day..." Levy complained half heartedly as her groom began to kiss his way down her body. He stopped at her stomach and looked up at her, giving her a wicked grin.

"I know, baby... I can't wait to see ya limp down the aisle."

"L-Limp?!" she squeaked. He chuckled darkly in amusement.

"When I get through with ya, that's all you'll be able to do."

* * *

Sorry for the crappy-ish lemon. I wanted one more before the wedding. And it's official, the next chapter is the wedding... cause I kind of wrote myself into that corner there, haha. It might be a bit longer before it gets posted, I'm planning an nice _long_ chapter for that.

Anyways, thanks for reading. Gimme more comments! Suggestions! Anything. It motivates me to write faster!

Love!

-Everythingnerd12


	48. Perfection

**Chapter 48**

Soft music drifted through the gardens as it was played by the quartet, a beautiful peaceful melody that weaved through the gardens and the crowds of murmuring people until it finally came into the changing room via the open window. Whereas the gardens were a peaceful setting, the changing room was full of movement and urgency. Bridesmaids were getting changed and having their makeup and hair done quickly as the ceremony was coming soon. The most movement came from the vanity where the young bride was sitting. Several stylists surrounded her, making sure she was the most beautiful woman there, despite her complaints about it being too much. Lucy finally shooed them off when she found that they were, indeed, going a bit overboard with the makeup and the hair.

"Geez, Lucy, you'd think I was some actress getting ready to go on camera." Levy huffed softly as her friend and Matron of Honor set about doing her hair and makeup for her, giving her a far more natural look while emphasizing her natural beauty.

"Well, this is a very special day. They just wanted to doll you up." Lucy soothed with an amused smile, fixing Levy's hair into a beautiful but simple updo with a few strands left to frame her face. She turned her attention to the younger woman's makeup and let out an amused snort. "Well, that's going to be hard to hide." she laughed lightly, motioning to the hickies dotting her slender neck. "I told you not to let him do that this week." Levy turned crimson, her hands going up to her neck as she stammered out a response.

"H-he doesn't listen a-and I'm always so into it... I just never notice until after..."

"Mr. Boss has a biting fetish." Juvia sang with a large, amused smile as she approached the girls. She'd noticed it, before, too. Gajeel seemed to thoroughly enjoy marking Levy's little neck, and quite a few had obvious teeth-shaped bruises. Gajeel was a biter. And Levy, it seemed, was a scratcher if Makarov informed her correctly.

"Let's get to work. Gonna need a lot of concealer." Lucy chuckled at her red-faced friend. "Don't worry, Levy, you're going to look stunning."

* * *

"Oi, Gajeel, you ready yet?" Natsu huffed as he walked into the men's changing room, straightening his tie. Man, he hated these fancy things. Gajeel looked up at Natsu with a raised brow as he lazed on a couch in his boxers and not much else. "Come on, Metalhead, the ceremony's soon."

"Che, calm down. Takes like five seconds to get dressed." Gajeel scoffed, standing up. Sure enough, a few seconds later he was fully dressed in a pristine white and gray pin-striped suit. He ran a comb through his short but shaggy hair, and he was done. "You checked on the girls yet?"

"They're still doing hair and makeup." Natsu blanched. They'd been doing that the last time he checked, too, and the time before that. "Geez, how long do girls really need?" Gajeel shrugged with a light laugh.

"Not sure, but whatever. As long as they get ready on time and don't hold things up." he chuckled. "I guess we should get to our places and wait for them."

* * *

All the murmuring in the gardens seemed to die down once Gajeel made his appearance, standing next to his father and the priest who would preside over the ceremony under the rose arch that was placed just before the bank of a beautiful lake. They'd rented a beautiful venue by a lake out in the countryside for the ceremony, and it was a wonderful day for an outdoor wedding. Leading away from the arch was a long white fabric walkway, with chairs on either side, that led back into the gardens.

The chairs to either side were completely filled with hundreds of guests. Most of the family was there, the important ones for sure, along with several important guests from other families or businesses. There was not an empty seat to be seen. And why would there be? This was the most important wedding of the decade. The future leader of Fairy Tail and the heiress of the McGarden Family were getting married today! It was a big deal, and everyone wanted to see it. The guards at the entrance had to turn people away, as there was no more space, and the entire wedding was being televised on a secure station which only Family members had access to.

Everyone waited quietly, seemingly on edge, for the ceremony to begin. They listened to the soft music that played, waiting for any change. And then it happened. The music paused for a brief moment. Some of the guests visibly leaned in to listen closely. Not a word was said, not a breath was taken, as they all waited to hear what would play next. They waited for what seemed like hours but was a mere minute.

And then the Wedding March began.

Gajeel felt his stomach twist into a knot as that song began. He hadn't been the least bit nervous the entire day, and he'd thought he'd be a lucky one and manage to get through the wedding without getting those nerves. But as soon as that song started, his mouth went dry and his stomach flipped, and he had to actively stop himself from fidgeting nervously in front of hundreds of people. His father gave him an amused, knowing grin and briefly placed his hand on Gajeel's shoulder for a moment to reassure him, sending him a silent message to relax. Gajeel could only give a tense nod and take a deep breath as he waited anxiously to see his bride.

The procession was a normal one. Groomsmen and Bridesmaids walked in pairs down the aisle before parting to stand on their respective sides. Natsu stood as Gajeel's best man, and Lucy stood as Levy's Matron on Honor. Once the groomsmen and bridesmaids were in place, there came the ring bearer and flower girl. The flower girl was little Asuka, one of the council members' granddaughters. The ring bearer was Natsu's little brother, Happy, who was a spunky little five-year-old boy with blue hair that was as wild and crazy as Natsu's. The kids walked down the aisle together, Asuka dropping rose petals here and there with cute giggles. Once at the front, Asuka was taken to sit with her parents, and Happy went to stand off to the side.

The music got louder as the reprisal began, announcing to all that this was it. The bride was coming. Everyone stood and turned to greet her, and a round of awed gasps went through the crowd at her beauty.

Levy could only be described of as stunning.

Gajeel felt the air leave his chest in a rush as he stood and stared at her, his jaw dropping. Mavis, she was gorgeous. The white dress hugged her petite form well, accenting her curvaceous figure while remaining modest. Her makeup was minimal yet beautiful all at once for it showed off _her_ beauty. The veil was light and transparent, looking more like a cloud of sparkles than it did actual fabric, and Gajeel was beyond happy that she was wearing the necklace he'd given her with pride. She carried a bouquet of roses, and her arm rested firmly in the crook of Lily's.

Lily looked like he was about to cry. The big, burly man had tears in his eyes as he escorted Levy down the aisle. He felt truly honored to have the privilege, and he'd honestly cried tears of joy when he'd accepted. He stood tall and grinned proudly despite his impending tears. Oh, how Leo and Liza would have loved to see this, to see their little girl all grown up and finding happiness like this. Lily could just imagine their smiling faces, such a bittersweet image...

Levy, herself, looked quite composed... for someone who was a totally nervous wreck on the inside. She was so nervous, and there were so many people! And they were All. Looking. At. Her! Her hands shook a bit as she focused on just walking, using Lily to steady herself in the heels she wore. Lily, thankfully, took it at her pace, and breathed out a few quiet words of encouragement that only she could hear through the music. He finally told her to focus on Gajeel, and she turned her eyes to her fiance down the aisle. He looked so handsome in his white suit, standing tall and proud next to his father. Not only that, but he looked... awed. His eyes were focused completely on her, and his mouth hung open slightly as he watched her. Their eyes finally met, and they both took a deep breath together. Seeing the joy and love in each others' eyes calmed them both down. Gajeel was able to compose himself and Levy was able to walk the rest of the way without shaking as they simply kept their eyes glued to each others'.

They finally arrived at the altar, and Lily kissed the back of Levy's hand before he handed her off to an awestruck Gajeel, who had just barely managed to pull himself together enough to close his mouth and take her hand. Lucy took Levy's bouquet from her, and the couple turned toward the priest in unison. Another round of gasps came as Levy's tattoo was on full display. This was the first time anyone had seen her tattoo, aside from a select few, and most of the family was awed by the obvious meaning behind it. The black dragon surrounding the Fairy Tail symbol protectively was an obvious reference to Gajeel protecting the family, and Levy, and it glaring at the crowd as if threatening them to silence. The priest made a gesture when the guests seemed to go silent, and they all seemed to sit down all at once. All was silent for a moment, though the bride and groom could swear that everyone present could her their pounding hearts. Finally, the priest spoke.

The ceremony was simple, as there was no need to draw it out. The priest went over the value of love and the importance of marriage, of course. He droned on for only ten minutes or so before he focused intently on the couple before him. It was time for the vows.

"The couple has decided to say their own vows." the priest announced, gesturing to Gajeel first. He swallowed thickly and looked into Levy's eyes, droning everyone and everything else out. It was just him and her.

"Levy, you are the most wonderful, brilliant, beautiful woman I've ever met. From the instant I laid eyes on you, ya had me wrapped around around yer little finger, even if you didn't know it." Gajeel told her with a small smile, his comment earning a few chuckles from their audience. "I... I don't believe in love at first sight, Levy... but I think I believe in love at first glare, cause the second yer eyes narrowed and that fire filled them, I knew ya were the one for me. I know I ain't perfect, and I know I'm gonna drive ya crazy sometimes, but I love you more than life itself. I swear to you I'm gonna be the best husband I can be. Through thick and thin, forever and always." he swore to her, smiling a bit as he saw tears pricking in her eyes. She took a moment to collect herself before she began her own vows.

"Gajeel... I know it was fate that brought us together. I can't believe otherwise, because how else would I have met someone so perfect for me? You're the most charming, handsome, and annoying man I've ever met." another round of light-hearted chuckles went through the crowd, and even Gajeel had to laugh a bit. "And you're my best friend. I love you more than words can describe, and I promise to be the best wife I can possibly be. Forever and always." she got out as more tears crowded her eyes. She managed to keep them from falling. Happy approached them now, carrying the rings on a simple white pillow. The dark silver-looking rings inlaid with shiny white stones stood out against the fabric.

"The groom has chosen iron for the wedding bands, to represent the strength of their bond and their love. The bride has chosen moonstone to be inlaid within the bands to represent patience and the beauty of life." the priest told the guests before turning back to Gajeel and Levy. "Gajeel Redfox, to you take Levy McGarden as your wife in holy matrimony, and promise to love her through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, from now until death?"

"I do." Gajeel breathed, his eyes remaining locked with Levy's.

"And Levy McGarden, do you take Gajeel Redfox as your husband in holy matrimony, and promise to love him through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, from now until death?"

"I do." Levy said with the same breathlessness as Gajeel.

"Then take your rings." the priest instructed, and they obeyed. He motioned to Gajeel, who took a shaky breath and gave Levy a genuine smile.

"Levy, with this ring I take you for my wife. Wear it and know that I will protect you. Forever." He slid the ring onto her finger, and was immediately in love with the sight of it on her hand. She took his hand, then, and held up his larger ring.

"Gajeel, with this ring you become my husband. Wear it as a reminder that I will always be by your side. Forever." she said as she slid the ring onto his own finger. They both marveled at each others' hands for a moment, before hearing the priest speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I now pronounce this couple husband and wife. Let us congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Redfox as they seal the bond with a kiss." the priest announced. Gajeel smiled at Levy, who smiled back. Neither were sure who moved first, but Levy soon had her arms thrown around his neck, and Gajeel quickly found his arms around her waist as he sealed his lips over hers while the entire family burst out in loud cheers and applause.

It was official.

They were married.

* * *

Loud, upbeat music filled the reception hall as their many guests danced the night away. A few doors down from the reception hall, hidden away in a quiet office room, some very important people were meeting. As Levy was getting changed into a better dance dress, Gajeel was busy talking business with some important guests.

Gajeel sat next to his father at the meeting table, looking around at everyone that had come to the wedding. Don Bob and Ichiya from Blue Pegasus were present and flamboyant as always, one going on about beauty while the other kept talking about perfume. Rogue had also come, bringing his little apprentice, Frosch, with him. Frosch was a young boy, in his very early teens, who was a bit... odd, but Rogue had taken to him. The kid wore a pink... frog hat, of all things, to the wedding. And then there was the newcomer, Roubaul, from Cait Shelter. He was a skinny old man with a thick white beard and an odd tattoo on his forehead. He'd come with a guest, too; his granddaughter; but she was out enjoying the reception.

Everything was silent for a bit, as everyone was just taking everything in. Finally, Metalicana blew out a puff of smoke from his cigar and spoke. "Well, that's enough with the silence. You've all been asked to this meeting to discuss an alliance with Fairy Tail. Boy." he gestured to Gajeel. This was his project, after all.

"Look, aside from Cait Shelter, I know we ain't all on good terms." Gajeel sighed, looking between Rogue and Bob, particularly. "But it doesn't have to be that way, especially when we all have a common threat." At this, a couple of brows were raised. "Jude Heartfilia is targeting all of us for various reasons." Gajeel said, and all eyes filled with understanding.

"So that's what this is about." Rogue hummed. "You'd like to form an alliance to go against Jude Heartfilia?"

"That's it." Gajeel nodded. "He's become too powerful and too arrogant, and he's affected each of us. If this alliance happens, and our plan works, Heartfilia ain't gonna be a problem for any of us ever again." He looked around the room, and all heads seemed to be nodding. He grinned. It seemed an alliance was possible after all. He'd have to thank Levy for letting him have this meeting on their wedding day. "Here's the plan..."

* * *

Levy peeked into the reception hall, looking for any sign of Gajeel's guests returning. When she saw them she could go meet up with him, and they could enter the reception hall. They were to be announced into the hall... at Lucy's suggestion because it was the 'cool' thing to do at weddings these days. Still, Levy didn't see any of the important guests yet. She'd be waiting a little longer, it seemed.

"And why is the bride hiding from the celebration?" a familiar voice startled her, and she jumped away from the door with a startled squeak. Levy quickly turned to face the owner of the voice, her eyes going wide upon finding Wendy standing there in a beautiful blue dress, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"W-W-Wendy... I didn't know you were here." Levy said as she stared at her coworker in shock. She silently prayed, for a moment, that the girl hadn't seen the Fairy Tail tattoo on her shoulder, though she knew that was impossible if she'd attended the actual ceremony.

"Yea, I came with my grandpa, the leader of Cait Shelter." Wendy hummed, watching as Levy's eyes filled with shock. Wendy... she was part of a family, too? "I was so surprised when I saw the invitation with your name on it. I almost couldn't believe it." Wendy continued, pouting sadly. "You really are a part of Fairy Tail, after all, huh? How could you not tell me?"

"I-I... I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Wendy, but..."

"I get it." Wendy's upset facade broke and she gave her a reassuring smile. "It's dangerous. I understand, Miss... er, Missus Levy, I really do." the younger girl giggled easily. "I was just teasing you." Levy couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, and she gave the girl a small smile.

"Thank you, Wendy. Ne, you're really part of Cait Shelter?" she asked curiously. Wendy giggled before answering.

"Well, not fully." she shook her head. "It's my grandpa's business, and he's... he's been teaching Romeo the ropes, but I don't think either of us will continue this business after grandpa passes." she sighed softly. "We're too small, and neither I nor Romeo are suited for this kind of life. I'd rather be a doctor."

"I see." Levy said softly. She... she had that choice, of course. To no get too involved, and to stay as a doctor. Gajeel would have worked hard to let her have that, she knew. But... she found she was more suited for this life than she'd previously thought. Than anyone had thought.

"Yea." Wendy let out a soft sigh before giving a small giggle. "I haven't congratulated you, yet. I'm so happy for you, finding love and getting married."

"Thank you." Levy smiled sweetly at the younger girl, who nodded in response.

"Anyways, what are you hiding from, out here?"

"I, um, was waiting for Gajeel's meeting to end." Levy told her. "We're supposed to go in together."

"Is that so? Well, I see my grandpa, so the meeting must have let out already." Wendy commented, looking out into the reception room. "I'll go keep him company. Congratulations, again. I really am happy for you."

"Thank you, Wendy." Levy smiled with a soft sigh, watching the younger doctor walk off.

"There's my beautiful wife." This time she didn't jump when a voice suddenly came, though she did turn around quickly, smiling brightly as she saw Gajeel walking towards her, Lily following him closely. Gajeel grinned and pulled her into his arms, giving her a soft kiss. "I love this dress on you, Levy. Great choice." he grinned, looking her over again. The dress she'd chosen for the reception was far simpler than the dress she'd worn for the ceremony. Where that dress had beads and lace and was form fitting, this one was plain and more free-flowing. It hugged her form to her waist, then flared out with a flowy skirt that stopped at her knees. A few gemstones accentuated the v-neck collar of the dress, which in turn accentuated her modest bust size, making her look a bit larger there. She had changed from heels into a pair of beautiful white flats. It was far less elegant than the ceremony dress, and it made her look utterly adorable and tiny. But what was Levy if she wasn't cute and small?

"Thank you. Lucy helped me find this one." Levy smiled at her husband, that word getting to her. This was her husband now. Gajeel was her husband!

"Oi, oi, no waterworks yet, shrimp." Gajeel chuckled softly when he saw the tears filling her eyes. "Lucy threatened to mutilate me if I made ya cry today. Somethin about yer makeup." Levy giggled at this. That sounded like Lucy.

"She worked really hard on my makeup." Levy told him with a soft laugh, fanning her face to dry her tears. Lily chuckled at the newlyweds, shaking his head softly.

"Are you two ready to go in?" he asked, receiving nods. "I'll go tell the announcer." He walked off to give them their last bit of privacy for the night. They wouldn't be alone until the honeymoon. The couple didn't need to say anything to enjoy their last few moments of silence and privacy. They just stared into each others' eyes and reveled in the love that they shared. And then the moment was over as they heard the announcer.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present you you: Gajeel and Levy Redfox!" the announcer cried out, and loud music played as Gajeel led Levy into the room, both of them smiling happily as the reception hall erupted into cheers and applause. Once they were in the center of the dance floor, a beautiful, slow song began to play. Levy blushed cutely and smiled happily as Gajeel led them into their first dance as husband and wife. It was a beautiful waltz, and they spun around the dance floor happily as their guests watched with smiles. Who would have guessed that Gajeel was such a great dancer?

The song and dance ended, followed by applause, and then the dance floor was open to everyone. The rest of the night followed a typical reception style. Food was served buffet-style, there was a cash bar, there were games and dances. Levy danced with Lily first, then the Don, then Gajeel again. She was introduced to the important guests while she and Gajeel rested at their table and enjoyed a nice dinner together. Then Natsu took over for the announcer, and the real fun began.

Levy and Gajeel soon found themselves sitting in chairs, their backs to each other, and barefoot while many guests watched. Levy had one of her shoes and one of Gajeel's shoes in her hands, and Gajeel had the same. Natsu grinned as he held the microphone and led them through the game.

"Let's start off easy, here, to get the hang of it." Natsu laughed. "Who is the tallest?" Both Levy and Gajeel raised up Gajeel's shoe, both chuckling a bit at the question. "Who is the nicest?" Levy's shoe was raised. "Alright. Let's take it up a notch. Who said 'I love you' first?" Gajeel's shoe went up, and a few chuckles filled the room. Who would have thought he'd be the first to say it? "Who is the best kisser?" Gajeel raised Levy's shoe, but Levy raised his. "Who has the best butt?" Levy blushed at this one, but raised her own shoe. Gajeel raised hers, as well. "Who snores the loudest?" Levy's shoe went up for both, earning some laughs from the crowd.

It went on like that for a while, until Gajeel got annoyed/embarrassed at the increasingly personal questions such as 'who is the best lover' or 'who made the first move,' and he gave Natsu a lethal glare... his cue to end the game. There was a break for more dancing and food, and then it was back to the center of the dance floor for Levy. "All the Single Ladies" began to play, and the girls in attendance squealed and rushed into position, waiting eagerly for the bouquet toss. Gajeel helped Levy to stand up on a chair facing away from the crowd of girls and young women. With a huge smile, she threw her rose bouquet over her head, giggling when she heard screams and cheers. She turned around to see who caught it, and she laughed happily when she found a blushing Wendy holding the roses.

The next thing Levy knew, Gajeel's hands were on her waist. She squeaked with her own blush as he picked her up, then sat her down in the chair, earning some hearty laughs from the attendees. It was Gajeel's turn. Levy blushed adorably as Gajeel got on his knees before her. Men hooted and cheered as Gajeel's hands slid beneath her skirt, trailing along her legs until he found what he was looking for. He chuckled and pulled off her simple white garter belt, twirling it around on his finger as he stood up from his blushing bride.

"Alright, boys, get ready." Gajeel laughed, pulling the belt taught and aiming up high. The single men scrambled into the center of the dance floor, and Gajeel sent the garter belt flying. Hearty laughs filled the air as it was, surprisingly, Happy who caught the belt... on his head. By accident. He wasn't even in the group, just walking past, and it just... landed on him. Even Levy had to laugh as the kid didn't seem to know what to do with the strange thing on his head.

The rest of the night proceeded like a normal wedding reception. They cut the cake and Gajeel dared not smash the cake in her face like he wanted. One firm glare and a whispered castration threat from his tiny wife were enough to stop that. Pictures were taken, more dances were had, alcohol was consumed, speeches were given, laughs were had, and the night went on and on until the newlyweds finally decided to retire. Several people followed them outside, where their ride was waiting, and Levy couldn't help but laugh when she saw it. Gajeel just had to be showy. Parked in front of the venue, with two pure white helmets resting on top - one reading 'husband' and the other reading 'wife' - was Gajeel's motorcycle.

"My lady..." Gajeel gestured to the cycle with a grin and a showy bow. Levy just giggled and picked up the 'wife' helmet, putting it over her head. Gajeel helped her adjust it before he put his own on, then hopped onto the bike, Levy following him and making sure to tuck her dress skirt in firmly beneath her. Cheers went up as Gajeel revved the bike in a showy fashion before speeding off with his wife, who squealed happily at the speed and held onto him tightly.

It was a perfect end to a perfect wedding.

* * *

Well... how's that for a wedding chapter? I told you it'd be a long one. I know it probably had a few boring bits, but to be fair I haven't been to a lot of weddings and the one I did go to was really long and boring (the ceremony part, I mean).

Don't worry, the steamy stuff is coming XD

I just felt like this chapter was getting a wee bit too long, is all.

Anyways, tell me what you think. I love comments. They feed my motivation.

Oh, and in case y'all didn't notice, I changed my penname. Yes, I am the right author, Everythingnerd12. I shortened it to Nerdy12 for... reasons. (My boyfriend was picking on me, y'all. Sigh~ that's not the only reason, but it helped me make up my mind).

Check out my little side project, if y'all get a chance. It's a collection of one-shots I'm working on when I get the chance, and I'm accepting prompt suggestions/requests. It's called Shots, Shots, Shots!

Thanks for reading, like always. I love you, my loyal minions - er, I mean - _Fans_. Yea. That's the word. Fans. *muffled evil laughter*

-Nerdy12


	49. That Night

_A/N: This chapter starts out smutty, just be warned._

 **Chapter 49**

The door to the safe house was forcefully kicked open, revealing a grinning Gajeel carrying his giggling wife in his arms. He carried her over the threshold, but didn't set her down. Instead, he carried her straight up to their room as she smiled the whole way. Halfway up the stairs, he nearly stumbled when he felt Levy kissing and sucking at his neck.

"Fuck, shrimp. Gonna make me drop ya." Gajeel groaned as he felt her little teeth on his neck. She just giggled as he picked up the pace and practically ran to their room with her. Levy squealed as he practically threw her onto the bed, and she landed with a small bounce and an amused laugh. Gajeel was quick to crawl over her, capturing her lips with his, and they both moaned into the kiss. Levy's hands immediately went up to his shoulders, pushing his suit jacket off of him. He grinned against her lips and helped her, quickly discarding the jacket and loosening his tie. Levy tried to unbutton his shirt, but he grinned and pinned her hands to the bed. "No need to rush, baby." he hummed against her lips. He wanted to take it slow this time, and savor every second of it. Their first time as husband and wife. Their wedding night. He wanted to burn every moment of it into his memory.

"I need you." Levy breathed against him. He just chuckled at her eagerness, remembering times when she'd been so shy and nervous about sex. She would have him soon enough, but she needed to be patient. He focused on kissing her again, giving her hot, passionate, toe-curling kisses that had her melting beneath him. Gajeel allowed Levy to move her hands again, and was happy when she merely wrapped her arms around his neck and enjoyed the kissing. He wanted to bury his hand in her hair, but her updo hindered that... so he tugged at the single hair pin that held it all together, grinning when her hair fell freely around her. He allowed his hands to roam, then, his right hand securing itself in her hair while his left began traveling up her thigh until he felt some fabric. He pulled away to look curiously, and he grinned upon seeing another garter belt. "O-one to keep... for memories." Levy answered his inquisitive look.

"This one's sexier." Gajeel merely hummed. Whereas the one he'd tossed at the reception was a simple white one, this one was also white but it was very lacy and it had a red ribbon tied in a bow at the front. It was also higher up her leg, about halfway up her thigh. With a wicked grin, Gajeel moved down to her leg, kissing a trail from her knee up to the belt while she giggled cutely. He grabbed the garter belt with his teeth and slowly pulled it off of her. Once it was off, he grinned down at his wife, keeping the belt between his teeth as he enjoyed her adorable blush.

He finally set the garter belt aside, putting it on the end table, and then he was back between her legs. Levy gasped softly when he returned to kissing along her leg from where the belt had been, moving higher up her leg until his head disappeared beneath her skirt. Her breath hitched as Gajeel kissed her core over her panties, and he just chuckled at her. He pulled her panties to one side and gave a long hot lick, earning a cute started squeal from his wife.

"G-Gajeel, m-my dress." she protested cutely. She didn't want to get it dirty, but Gajeel had other plans.

"It's stayin on til I make ya cum, baby." he chuckled from beneath her skirt before his mouth went back to her core. Levy cried out softly as he sucked at her clit. A finger soon joined in the fun, and Levy soon found herself gripping at the sheets with sweet cries and moans and he brought her closer and closer to the edge. She cried his name as she finally found her end, and Gajeel groaned as it had to be the sexiest thing he'd ever heard. He licked his lips as he came out from beneath her skirt, crawling back up her body again. Seeing her flushed and panting as she came down from her high only made him groan again. He now had a very painful problem to deal with, but he was adamant about taking this nice and slow.

Levy moaned softly as Gajeel returned to kissing her, letting her taste herself on his lips. He slid his hands beneath her and took hold of the zipper of her dress, sliding it down slowly before freeing her from the garment. It landed on the floor somewhere, and Levy opened her mouth to complain about dirtying and wrinkling it, but thought against it. It was just a dress, and she could get it professionally cleaned later. She'd rather focus on her husband, who was currently staring at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Gajeel felt like he'd died and gone to heaven. His wife, his tiny little shrimp... she was wearing lingerie and he could not describe what that did to him. He'd never really noticed it before, as he'd always been so eager to have her, but she'd never worn it for him before. He hadn't known what he'd been missing, and now he was planning to buy her a lot of it... because seeing his little wife in nothing but a few pieces of very thin lace was driving him crazy with lust.

Levy had worn white lacy lingerie beneath her dress all night in preparation for this. He'd noticed her panties, of course, when he was eating her out, but it was different to see it with the full set. It was barely even considered clothing, it was all so thin... but it was more than enough to have Gajeel drooling over her. Hell, her bra wasn't even a bra. There was no support, no cover. It was just pure lace with a little red bow in the center, matching her garter belt. Gajeel suddenly regretted taking that off so soon, as it really would have completed the look. But he was still incredibly turned on by what he saw.

"Do you like it?" Levy asked quietly when her husband didn't say anything for the longest time. She shifted a bit nervously. She'd been hesitant to wear it, and only had at Lucy's suggestion. Gajeel was giving her a look that told her he liked it... but he wasn't saying anything. It was like he was frozen in place.

"Levy, I fucking love it." Gajeel finally breathed out, pulling his eyes away from her body to meet hers. "Yer so beautiful." he told her truthfully, loving how she blushed cutely at the praise.

Gajeel threw his plans to go slow out the window. Fuck it. He needed her now. He attacked her with a hungry kiss, groaning as she eagerly returned it. This time, when she began to unbutton his shirt, he let her. He briefly parted from her lips to take the tie off, then shrug out of the shirt, and then his lips were back on hers. Levy could only mewl into his mouth as he kissed her senseless. He may have said she was the better kisser in that game they'd played, but there was no way that was true when he could make her absolutely melt like this.

He finally let her have some air when he moved to kiss and bite at her neck. Levy moaned cutely as he trailed down to her chest and enclosed his mouth around her lace-covered nipple. The lace did nothing to hinder his mouth teasing her... though, when he switched to the other breast, it did retain the moisture from his mouth. It quickly cooled and made Levy moan at the new sensation, much to Gajeel's amusement.

His pants were much too tight now, and Gajeel begrudgingly pulled away from his little wife. He grinned down at her as he quickly unbuckled his belt and shimmied out of his pants and boxers. He returned to kissing at her lips, his hands teasing her breasts as she moaned softly beneath him. A second later, ripping sounds filled the air. Levy's eyes went wide as Gajeel literally ripped the lingerie off of her chest, repeating the action to her panties, as well.

" _Gajeeeeeel..._ " she complained as he freed her of the scratchy garments.

"I'll buy you more." he chuckled, holding up the shreds of the lingerie. "These and that belt are all just goin in a keepsake box, anyways. Nobody but us will know." He had a point, but she still hadn't wanted them torn! Gajeel chuckled at her pouting and kissed at her neck sweetly. "My little wife, just admit it. You thought it was hot, even just a little bit."

"I-I did, but..." he silenced her with a firm kiss, his hands moving to her bared breasts and teasing her yet again. She moaned into his mouth and slid her arms around his neck, giving up on complaining. It was already done, and she did find it hot... just a little. Besides, now they were skin on skin, and Levy found herself desperately needing her husband. As if reading her mind; or maybe he just needed her, too; Gajeel's hands slid down her body and hooked under her knees. He pulled her legs up around his hips, both of them moaning as his shaft rubbed against her slick folds. "Gajeel... please..." Levy begged beautifully, arching against him desperately.

"Levy..." Gajeel breathed, getting her attention. Her eyes met his and she shivered at all the raw emotion filling his eyes. So much joy, love, and lust filled those crimson eyes of his as he smiled down at her, his shaggy black hair framing his face and the light coming into their dark bedroom from the hallway glinting off his piercings... it made for a truly breathtaking sight for Levy. At the same time, seeing Levy lying beneath him, breathless and at his mercy, her wild blue hair fanned out beneath her, her necklace resting perfectly between her breasts, and her eyes full of desire and love... it made Gajeel want to freeze time. If only he could have this as a picture, and take it with him always. She was beautiful. Time seemed to resume for them, and Gajeel took a slow breath. "I love you." he whispered down to her. Levy smiled up at him, tears pricking at her eyes.

"I love you, too." she whispered back. He grinned and kissed her yet again, pulling her legs higher around his waist as he happily filled his wife, consummating their marriage officially. Levy gasped into his mouth as he filled her with one quick thrust and gave her no time to adjust. He set a quick, rough pace that had her crying out against him in no time, though her cries were muffled as he just kissed her passionately the whole time. They lost count of how long they were at it, how many times they went. At some point he pulled from her lips and flipped her onto her hands and knees, and caged her to the bed with his body. Their left hands entwined tightly, allowing them to see their rings side by side as pleasure engulfed them yet again.

It was a long, blissful, wonderful... perfect wedding night.

* * *

"All boarding for flight 109, all boarding." the announcement came, barely heard over the loud chatter of people waiting for their planes. Airports were always fascinating to Levy. So many people from so many backgrounds all gathered in one place and trying to get somewhere. They were no different.

Future mafia family leader, Gajeel may be... but he still had to wait for the plane like everybody else. Private jets were nice and all but, unfortunately, Gajeel couldn't use Fairy Tail's all the time, especially not for something like a vacation. So he and Levy were stuck waiting on their plane. Which was late.

Levy passed the time by people-watching, and Gajeel passed the time by watching her. His wife of less than twenty-four hours. He sat beside her in the waiting area near their terminal, keeping a close eye on his little wife. She looked adorable, wearing a cute pink skirt and a white t-shirt that read 'Wife' on it, a pink headband to match her skirt. Gajeel had worn his matching shirt only at her insistence, though he wore some more casual black baggy travel pants with it. Her happy smile at seeing him wear it was worth the embarrassment. It was only for travel, after all, and only today. Then the shirts would follow her shredded lingerie and garter belt into the keepsake box with a copy of the invitation and several dozen pictures of their wedding and reception. Levy was also working on a wedding photo album/scrapbook thing. Gajeel couldn't help but roll his eyes. Girls and their craft projects.

"Gajeel... Earthland to Gajeel." Levy waved her hand in front of her husband's face, giggling cutely when he blinked back to the present. He looked to his wife with a raised brow, and the gestured towards Lily, who now stood beside them. Lily was accompanying them on their honeymoon as their official bodyguard; he would be in the background during the trip to let the couple have their privacy. "Lily says he saw our plane land. It shouldn't be much longer."

"Good." Gajeel sighed. He was getting sick of waiting, and he just wanted to get to their resort and spend time with his little wife. It would be a week of just him and her. He wouldn't have to stress over work or over the family. He could just relax and have some quality time with Levy for once.

"I'm so excited." Levy sang, squirming anxiously in her seat. "A whole week alone." She glanced at Lily and giggled. "Well, mostly alone."

"My lady, I assure you, you won't even know I'm there." Lily chuckled at her.

"When we're just staying on the resort, he get's to go enjoy himself, shrimp." Gajeel added. The resort, itself, was very safe and, with a light threat from the Don, it had upped its own security for the duration of their stay. Besides... nobody knew where they were going aside from the Don and a select few officials, and they were traveling under their false identities. They weren't expecting trouble on this trip.

"Flight 384, first class is now boarding." the announcement came, and Levy jumped up with a happy smile.

"That's us!" she cheered, earning amused laughs from Lily and Gajeel as they followed the excited woman to the boarding area.

"Thank you, have a great flight. Ticket and identification, please." The flight attendant asked pleasantly, sending off another couple to board the plane. Levy smiled and handed her their tickets.

"Lisa Robertson, Gregory Robertson, and Lane Peters." The attendant hummed, looking over their things. She smiled and handed them back. "You're all clear. Thank you, and have a great flight." she smiled at the interesting trio, two big muscular men and a tiny woman. She noticed the adorable husband and wife shirts on the younger man and the woman. How cute! They sure made for an interesting couple.

Levy was all smiles as she sat next to Gajeel in first class. Lily sat a row back and to the side so he would have a better view of the couple while ensuring their conversations were private. They didn't have guns, of course. It was an airport, after all. But Lilly could protect them just fine without a weapon.

It was a relatively short wait before takeoff, and then they were flying towards their destination honeymoon for a week of sun, sex, and bliss. The perfect beginning to their marriage.

* * *

Sorry if the end of this chapter was a little rushed. Couldn't find a good way to end it, lol. Anyways, here is the promised post-wedding smut! And a cute little scene to send them off on their honeymoon with. I;m debating on writing out the honeymoon or just skipping to a week later. What do y'all want? I can write it out if you want, give you some cute filler chapters, maybe some more lemons, who knows. Or I can jump ahead and get back to the main story because I have plenty in store for them.

So I guess that means vote on it in the comments.

Also tell me what you think in the comments.

Comment.

Comment, please.

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	50. Arch-6 Familiar Faces

_A/N: So, despite the vote winning in favor of a honeymoon chapter, I just couldn't make it work. Damn writer's block. Sorry, y'all, we are just moving on. So here it is..._

 **Chapter 50**

Gray sighed heavily as he looked between the two guests he was supposed to escort. He had no clue why he was chosen to do this, as surely Natsu would have been a better choice considering how... interesting these guests were. Both men were rather... flamboyant, concerning their clothes and hair.

They were both young, tall, skinny men, one fair skinned and one olive toned. The fair skinned one had wild orange hair and the other had blackish blue hair that was done up... oddly. It somehow rose above his head and curled forward with a claw, of all things, at the end. Gray didn't even want to mention their outlandish, flashy clothes. The redhead had a bright purple shirt on under a huge brown coat, with an odd floppy tophat that matched the coat. The one with the weird hairstyle was more reserved, wearing a simple white shirt and green pants, but he had bright yellow ammo belts slung across both shoulders... empty, of course, as they'd both been stripped of weapons before being allowed into the mansion.

Currently, Gray was showing the guests around the mansion. They were not allowed to know of restricted areas, of course, but he showed them the guard barracks and the gardens and such. They were mostly killing time while they waited for their meeting with the Don, as they were here to seek protection.

The trio rounded a corner, only to run into a little blue-haired woman carrying books from the library. She let out a startled squeak as she collided with Gray, who caught her by the arms before she could fall.

"Oh, sorry, Gray, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." she said with an apologetic laugh.

"No, that was my fault. Sorry, Levy." Gray returned with a smile, bending down to pick her books up for her. When he stood again he found that Levy was staring at the guests with wide eyes, and they were staring back with equally large eyes. "Oh, Levy, these are some really important guests from another family. Meet-"

"Jet and Droy." Levy finished his sentence, startling him. He looked between the three again.

"You... know them?" he asked, and all three nodded, still staring at each other.

"That... that's really you... Levy?" the redhead, Jet, was the first to break the silence. "Levy McGarden?" Levy could only nod.

"We, we heard there was someone with your name here... b-but we thought it would be an immposter because... you know..." Jet trailed off.

"We thought you were dead." Droy finished. "What... what happened? How did you end up here?"

"Um, that's... a long story." Levy mumbled, looking between them. She didn't know how to handle this. She hadn't seen them in years and, what's more, she had no idea why they were in the mansion and being escorted around. She looked to Gray, who looked a bit uncomfortable with the turn of events, and he noticed how her eyes flickered a bit to the right. One of the signals she'd been taught, it meant she needed to leave the situation, and he needed to make that happen for her.

"Er, look at that, it's time for your meeting with the don." Gray spoke up and began urging the men down the hall. "See you later, Levy, we have a strict schedule to keep to." He hurried them along while they looked back at Levy like... lost puppies, almost. Levy just stared back before hurrying away. She needed to find Lily.

Gajeel looked up from his paperwork as his wife hurried into his office, looking a bit upset. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she was asking him where Lily was.

"Last I checked, in the gym." Gajeel hummed, focusing on his work again. "Why, shrimp? What's got you all worked up?"

"T-there's some guests here, Gajeel. They have a meeting with the don set up."

"And? We have guests all the time."

"Gajeel, I know these two. Lily probably does, too." Levy told him, earning a raised brow from her husband. "I grew up with them. Their parents were best friends with my parents." Gajeel put his pen down and sat back, giving his wife a curious look.

"So... they were probably part of the McGarden family." Gajeel deduced, earning a nod from his wife. Gajeel sat and thought about this development. Every time people from Levy's past showed up it got dangerous. Lily showed up just before everything with Laxus went down and Brain caused a war that almost got her and Gajeel killed. They were two for two... and he could understand why she was so nervous now. And no doubt confused about their presence here. He, personally, didn't know these men... but he knew his father would have the answers they needed. Gajeel stood up with a sigh, turning to his little distraught wife. "Well, shrimp, only one way to find out if this is good or bad. Let's go interrupt their meeting." he said as he slid an arm around her waist and started to lead her out of the office.

"Eh, b-but what about Lily?"

"What about him?"

"H-he knows them, too. He probably knows more about all this than I do, because he would have known their parents..." Levy pointed out. Gajeel nodded with a grin. She was sharp, thinking of everything they can use to their advantage.

"Alright, let's go track him down, first."

* * *

"You're positive it's those two?" Lily questioned without pausing in his workout with Natsu. He dodged Natsu's gloved fist and threw his own punch as they danced around the boxing ring.

"Positive." Levy told her friend and body guard.

"What do you know about 'em?" Gajeel asked.

"Their parents were captains in the McGarden family." Lily explained, throwing another punch. "Their parents, at least, were loyal to yours, my lady. And the boys were quite smitten with you, last I checked. Your supposed death really got to them." he grunted as Natsu landed a solid punch to his gut. "Don't get cocky, kid." he huffed, increasing the ferocity of his own attacks. Natsu held his own pretty well, but Lily was the smarter fighter. He threw Natsu off balance, and brought him to the ground, taking him in a hold until he tapped out. Lily was the victor.

"I didn't stay with the family for very long after your parents were killed and you disappeared." Lily sighed as he stepped out of the ring a minute later. "I know their parents were doing what they could to keep the family together, but I saw things going downhill fast. Having no leaders, no heir, it caused a lot of issues, and there was a power struggle starting. I left before the infighting began." he explained to Gajeel and Levy. "I was far more concerned with finding you, my lady, than keeping a broken family together."

"I-I understand." Levy gave him a small smile.

"I don't know what happened after I left, but, whatever group came of it... they didn't stay in Oak Town for long. Phantom Lord ensured they were the only ones there." Lily sighed. "But I believe Jet and Droy's parents would have formed their own group somewhere along the way, and would have kept with the McGarden family's morals and rules."

"Possibly, but that doesn't mean _they_ still abide by them." Gajeel added wisely. "We're gonna go see them and the old man. Get some answers. Come with?" he offered to Lily, who nodded.

"Let me change, and I will be there shortly."

* * *

"A-are you sure it's okay to interrupt?" Levy questioned as they got closer to the don's office.

"It's important, shrimp." Gajeel just huffed. His old man knew about this, knew about Levy's relation to these men, he just knew it. He didn't even bother knocking on the office door, walking right in and dragging Levy in with him. Lily shook his head in silent amusement and followed them inside, taking up a guarding position by the door.

"Boy, I'm busy." Metalicana grumbled from his desk, gesturing to the two men seated in front of him. They looked at Gajeel with wide, terrified eyes. And here they thought the Don was scary. This man was every bit as intimidating as the Don, but he was younger and stronger looking. And then they saw Levy standing behind the scary man... holding his hand. She avoided looking at them, focusing on the Don.

"Old man, ya need to be tellin me when ya invite interesting people over." Gajeel huffed in annoyance at his father. He saw the glint in the don's eyes, which told him he was right. Metalicana knew very well who these people were to Levy. "Tell me what's goin on, Old man." Metalicana merely inhaled on his cigar, blowing the smoke out through his nose.

"Gentlemen, I apologize for the interruption. This is my son, Gajeel. And it seems you already know little Levy." The don introduced, gesturing to Gajeel and Levy. "These nice gentlemen are the current leaders of the McGarden family. Jet and Droy." the don said calmly. "They've come to seek protection from a rival family and discuss an alliance."

"The... McGarden family is still around?" Levy asked in shock, looking to Jet and Droy, who nodded mutely.

"Alright, answers. Now." Gajeel demanded, looking between his father and the strange men who couldn't seem to keep their eyes off his wife. "How the hell is your family still around, when last I checked y'all fell apart over a decade ago?"

"W-well, um, you see..." Droy stuttered.

"After everyone thought Levy and her parents were dead," Jet took over the explanation, "there was a lot of question as to who would lead the family. We had a lot of infighting and the family broke up for a while. Our parents got together and rebuilt what they could, and kept the family name to honor Leo and Liza. We've been... hanging on since then."

"W-we took over after our parents passed away." Droy added sadly before meeting Levy's eyes. "We had no idea you were still alive, Levy. Not until we heard rumors about you being here. This... it changes everything."

"It... does?" Levy asked warily, staying close to her husband who was listening intently.

"This family is rightfully yours, Levy. You're the last McGarden left." Jet said seriously. "You _need_ to come back with us, help us build the family back up."

"Oi, now wait just a damn second." Gajeel growled at this, moving Levy behind him protectively. "She ain't goin anywhere, especially with the likes of you."

"But she's the last McGarden! You can't just keep our rightful leader from us." Jet protested before looking to Levy, who was peeking out from behind Gajeel. "You belong to us, Levy! How can you just stand there and let this _barbarian_ keep you from us?!"

"Jet, don't you _dare_ talk about my husband that way!" Levy snapped angrily at her childhood friend, surprising all that were present, even the don who had yet to witness Levy's anger. She was normally such a sweet girl. Gajeel just grinned. There was that fire he loved to see!

"H-Husband?!" Jet and Droy exclaimed together in shock as Levy stepped forward angrily.

"I am Levy Redfox. I am happily married to the next leader of Fairy Tail, and I am staying _right here_ because I don't belong to anyone and can make my own decisions. I'm _not_ some pawn to be used to keep a family from falling apart!" she growled out, stomping her foot and glaring furiously at the men who just stared at her in shock. Gajeel just grinned proudly, as did his father and even Lily. Jet opened his mouth to speak but Levy leveled him with a sharp glare. "You so much as hint that I 'belong' to _anyone_ , I will have you thrown out of here and negotiations for protection will be off the table!"

Jet shut his mouth with an audible click, looking to the don with wide eyes. Could she do that? Metalicana just grinned at him. If that's what his daughter-in-law wanted, she was well within her rights to ensure it happened. It made no difference to him, and his easy grin assured Jet of that. Gajeel, meanwhile, was ecstatic that Levy finally understood her role as his wife, and the authority that came with it.

All was silent for a long while. Jet and Droy gaped at Levy in utter shock. Lily just watched the scene from where he stood against the door, the Don observed everything with an easy grin, and Gajeel kept a close eye on the men while Levy tried to even out her breathing after her angry rant. It was then that a chuckle filled the room. All eyes turned to Droy, who was laughing softly.

"She really hasn't changed, eh, Jet?" he chuckled, coaxing a small grin from the redhead.

"Still the same old Levy." he agreed with his own chuckle. He stood, then, and gave a deep bow to her. "I'm sorry, Levy. I really need to think before I speak, and I didn't mean to offend you." his apology surprised her, but she gave a small smile, nonetheless, and nodded her acceptance of his apology. The silence returned, only to be broken as Levy's stomach rumbled. A round of chuckles filled the room as Levy turned crimson.

"I suppose we should break for lunch, gentlemen. I'm quite famished, myself." the don chuckled.

"Old man, how bout I take over the discussions from here?" Gajeel suggested, earning a raised brow from his father and paled faces from Jet and Droy. "They upset _my_ wife. I should be the one to make this decision after that."

"Fair enough." the don chuckled, waving them off. Gajeel gave a twisted grin to the shrinking men. Oh, seeing them squirm almost made up for them upsetting his wife.

"C'mon, you two, we can... _talk_ over lunch. On me."

A few minutes later found them seated in an unassuming chain steak house. Thankfully the lunch rush had already passed, which left them in a mostly empty restaurant. The waitresses were doing everything they could to tend to the group, having recognized Gajeel as a very important person.

"Alright, give me details." Gajeel said firmly as they waited for their food to arrive. Levy munched happily on some peanuts, content to let Gajeel do what he does, while Lily and Gray kept a sharp eye out for anything remotely dangerous to their boss and his wife. "Who do you need protection from and why... and what's in it for us?"

"Um, well... there's this gang coming into our territory called the Believers." Jet explained. "They started out as a kind of Robin Hood group, stole from the wealthy, helped the poor. We just... let them be, because they didn't mess with us."

"But then they got a new leader." Droy added. "Their numbers doubled overnight, they stopped helping the poor, and they began to focus on us. We could hold them off, at first... but they keep growing. They're trying to push us out."

"Did ya do somethin to this new leader of theirs?" Gajeel questioned.

"As far as we know, he's a kid of one of the people that broke away from the McGarden family after Leo and Liza died." Jet told him. "We didn't do anything to him, personally, but our parents might have."

"I see." Gajeel took this all in. So a potentially slighted former ally was encroaching on their territory. "So what's in it for Fairy Tail if we bail ya out of this mess?"

"Well..." Jet started but paused as their food came out. They waited until the waitresses left them alone before speaking. "We... don't have much to offer by way of payment..."

"Let me get this straight." Gajeel stopped him with an annoyed sigh. "You came to beg fer help, hopin we would just do it outta the kindness of our hearts?" he questioned sarcastically. "Then you go and insult _my wife_ , and still have the audacity to think we'd help ya without payment?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." Droy mumbled.

"This is a business, you idiots. Ya don't run a business by wasting money and resources on something with no return on it." Gajeel scoffed, rolling his eyes before pinning the two with a firm stare. "If you hadn't apologized to my wife properly, we wouldn't even be talking right now. But we are... and yer tellin me ya got no way of payin us fer our help?"

"Well... there is plan B..." Jet said warily, looking to Droy who seemed upset at the suggestion but nodded. "We... we were going to propose a merger... if it came to this... and it has." Now that got Gajeel's attention. Levy's too. She had paused her eating, with her fork halfway to her mouth, to stare at them in shock.

"Now that's an interesting proposition." Gajeel hummed, leaning forward. "Go on..."

"Look, we... we're not very good at this mob leader stuff." Droy said. "We're barely holding things together. There's been a bunch of internal conflict on top of the Believers threat."

"We came to Fairy Tail for a couple of reasons. You're the strongest family in the area, and your don has helped out the little guy before. Getting help and getting the Believers off our back would calm the internal issues." Jet sighed. "But we also came because of rumors about Levy being here. We had hoped, if the rumors were true, having her come back would quiet things within the family and restore order until the threat of the Believers was gone." he explained. "And since neither of those is going to happen without payment..."

"The McGarden family _is_ the payment." Droy finished, looking to Gajeel. "We are offering all of our members, resources, and territory to Fairy Tail... in exchange for the end of the Believers."

"That's quite the offer." Gajeel hummed thoughtfully, looking between the two men for a long moment. Then he sighed and sat back. "Tell you what, you give me a list of all yer assets, people or otherwise. I will... think about it." he offered to the men. They looked at each other uneasily, sharing a silent conversation. They'd been hoping for an immediate answer but... this was their last hope. Jet took a deep breath and held a folder out to Gajeel, who took it with a smirk. "Smart move. Now, let's enjoy the rest of our lunch."

* * *

Ah, I finally got another chapter out, yay! I'm so sorry about the missing honeymoon piece. If I ever overcome my writer's block on it, I will post it into Shots, Shots, Shots! and tell y'all about it, no worries.

Please, tell me what you guys think. Also I'm trying a new thing. Usually I just type these chapters up and post them all in one go. I'm trying to write a few chapters in advance now. There might be a few delays at first while I get in the rhythm but I assure you this will lead to steadier updates... probably.

Anyways, thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	51. Catch Up

**Chapter 51**

Gajeel looked between the two men before him, and then his wife. He didn't like the way they were staring at her like lovesick puppies. Lily had mentioned that they fawned over Levy when they were growing up, and her supposed death hit them hard. Here she was, back from the dead in their eyes. Not only that, but she wasn't some scrappy little tomboy anymore. She was a woman, a very beautiful one. And she was his, and they were tripping over themselves every time they saw her, and he didn't like it. Not. One. Fucking. Bit.

Levy was oblivious to it, to boot, so he couldn't exactly complain to her without seeming to be overly jealous. Maybe he was. He didn't want her upset about it, and she was enjoying catching up with the idiots. After lunch and his promise to think over their deal, she had insisted on catching up and giving them a tour of downtown Magnolia, which really was a nice place to be. Lush parks right next to adorable shops and high-class restaurants made for a great scene. But the men weren't even focusing on the scenery, they were focusing on her. Gajeel trailed along behind, letting his wife catch up with her old friends, but there was a vein bulging in his forehead and a constant frown on his face.

Part of him was trying to calm himself. It was just two childhood friends of hers. He really should calm down and let them enjoy their time together. She was married to him, and that's all that mattered... he knew his wife was loyal. But then he'd see Jet look her over or Droy blush for some unknown reason, and he'd clench his jaw and have to fight off the urge to break their necks. They knew she was married yet they were acting like they had a chance! And it pissed him off! What's worse, Levy would be pissed off if he did anything about it. Plus he would look weak if he showed his jealous side to them, and him looking weak made the family look weak. He'd just have to deal with it and talk to Levy about it later.

So he followed in silence, walking beside Lily, who seemed rather amused by the situation. He was keeping his mouth shut, thankfully, but Gajeel did not like that amused glint in the man's eyes.

"Levy, this place looks interesting. Can we check it out?" Jet asked suddenly, gesturing to a little antique shop they were walking past. Levy looked into the shop's window and smiled widely.

"Sure! It looks so charming, and I bet there's a lot of cool stuff in here." she said happily, leading the way into the store. Gajeel sighed softly and followed, knowing they'd be in there for a while. Levy loved shops like this. He had to admit, they were interesting... but not really his cup of tea.

They split up once inside the store, Jet and Droy wanting to look at different things than Levy did. Gajeel followed his wife to keep an eye on her, and Lily stayed by the door in a guarding position. Gajeel smirked when his wife went, of course, straight to the book section. He remembered seeing her apartment, all full of books which, unfortunately, were ruined in the fire. Their house right now had a growing collection. It helped that the mansion had a full library, so she didn't buy as many as she would have because she had constant access to that library.

"These are ancient." Levy marveled as she pulled a few books off the shelf to look at them. Gajeel smiled at his adorable wife, coming up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and rest his chin on her shoulder as she browsed. She smiled up at him briefly before returning to her books. "I'm sorry we've been dragging you around all day." she hummed softly.

"It's fine, shrimp." he sighed into her hair.

"You sure? Cause you looked upset a while ago." she glanced up at him again. Damn, so she caught on to his soured mood.

"I'm fine. I just... don't like how they're lookin at ya." he answered honestly. Levy raised a brow at him, confused, and Gajeel checked to make sure the idiots were out of hearing distance before continuing. "Jet's looked ya over more than once... and Droy keeps blushin fer some reason. They're actin like little love sick puppies... and it's really gettin on my nerves." he grumbled against her hair in a quiet voice, his arms tightening around her just a bit. Levy's eyes went wide at this, and then she let out a soft giggle, turning in his arms to face him.

"Gajeel... are you jealous?" she gave him a teasing smile. He frowned down at her.

"Course I am. Yer _my_ wife." he scoffed.

"Hm, well you're right about that." Levy's teasing smile softened into a true one as she realized how much this was affecting him. "I'm _your_ wife, Gajeel. I'm happily taken. I didn't know they were acting that way but, even if they are, who cares? There's no need to be jealous. I'm yours, and you're mine, and that's all that matters, right?" she told him with a sweet smile as she played with the lapel of his suit jacket. She couldn't help but think that he was really cute when he pouted, like he was doing now. He still didn't like that the guys were looking at her. But she had a point. He let out a soft sigh and gave his wife a small smirk.

"Yer right, shrimp. But don't act like ya ain't the jealous type, too. I've seen ya look about ready ta fight another woman over me before, ya know." it was his turn to tease, and he loved the tiny blush that came to her cheeks. Oh, yes. He saw the way she pouted every time a woman looked at him like he was eye candy. Their honeymoon had been interesting, too, because even married women had stopped to ogle him on the beach... in front of their husbands, no less. It had been amusing to see the husbands react... and then to see that fire in Levy's eyes. She was rather clingy most of that trip... he'd loved it. "I ain't the only one with a possessive streak."

"No, you're not." she agreed with a small sigh of admission. "I know my husband is attractive and I can't stop people from staring. But I also know he'd never cheat on me." she smiled at him now, and he grinned back.

"And my wife wouldn't ever cheat on me." he countered.

"See? Then what's the point in dwelling on the jealousy?" she hummed, standing on her tip toes to give him a small peck on the lips. He just grinned and turned the chaste kiss into a deep one, pulling her closer as he did. Levy slid her arms around his neck and returned the kiss happily, an adorable blush on her cheeks.

"Hey, Levy, look what we... found..." Jet's excited voice trailed off as he and Droy rounded the corner to find Gajeel and Levy lip-locked in the middle of the book section. Levy broke away from the kiss at the sound of his voice, blushing deeply. She looked to Jet and Droy, both of whom also had red cheeks. Gajeel just chuckled, the only non-embarrassed one there.

"Um, w-what did you find... Jet?" Levy powered through her blush to ask, hoping that talking would resolve the embarrassing situation. Jet coughed a bit before holding it out. It was a large, beautiful, hand-carved wooden gear made of teak wood and polished beautifully to show the wood's natural grains. "Woah, that's really cool..." Levy's voice was full of awe as she looked at the gear. Gajeel just raised a brow.

"It's... a weird cog. So?"

"It's got, um... meaning for us." Droy commented. Gajeel looked to his wife for explanation, and she blushed again.

"U-um, we were really into superhero teams growing up. You know how kids are, they want to be like their favorite heroes." she told him. "Um, all three of us really liked this one show, I forgot the name of it, but it was about super hero teams of three."

"We wanted to make our own team." Jet chuckled lightly. "So we did."

"We called ourselves Team Shadow Gear." Droy added with a smile. "And we went around terrorizing our parents, pretending to be super heroes."

"Right..." Gajeel drawled, looking between the three. They seemed to be both embarrassed and proud of it. "So... finding a random gear means somethin?"

"W-well, the way we saw it," Droy spoke up with his own blush, "It's kind of like a sign. That Team Shadow Gear is back together."

"Aw, you guys!" Levy giggled happily, throwing her arms around both men, despite her husband's annoyed huff at her doing so. "That's so sweet."

Several minutes later found them checking out. Jet bought the gear, Droy got a flower vase, and Levy was the last to check out, placing a heavy old book on the counter. She dug around in her purse and pulled out a card to pay for the book. Gajeel grabbed her wrist before she could hand the card over to the clerk.

"Shrimp, please tell me ya ain't been usin yer card this whole time?" Gajeel frowned at his wife as he handed cash to the clerk, motioning for him to keep the change. "Well?"

"Um... y-yea..." Levy blushed a bit, earning a heavy sigh from her husband as he led them out of the shop.

"What's the big deal?" Jet questioned with a frown. "She can have her own money."

"Course she can." Gajeel scoffed and rolled his eyes at Jet. He turned serious eyes to his wife. He wasn't upset... but it just made him realize that there was more to teach her about this life than he'd thought. "Levy, why do you think I always pay with cash?"

"I... don't know?" she tilted her head curiously. Now that she thought about it, she'd never seen him pay with a card. Always cash.

"Cause you like to flaunt your money?" Jet guessed, earning a deadpanned look from Gajeel.

"Alright, listen up. You two, too." Gajeel sighed, crossing his arms in front of him. "Ya weren't kiddin about bein bad at this, huh? Look, there's a reason everything Fairy Tail does is cash based. Banks can be hacked, cards can be traced. Police can search yer records. They can see where and when you used yer card. It's dangerous. Cash is safer." All three of them had wide eyes at his words. They'd never thought about that. Gajeel looked to Levy now.

"I give ya cash fer a reason, shrimp. It ain't an allowance or anything, ya can have as much as ya want. My money is yers too. But stop usin yer card unless it's an emergency." he insisted. Levy nodded with a small pout, and she honestly looked like she was about to cry. She had no idea. What if she'd already caused trouble for Gajeel because of this. "Hey..." Gajeel sighed softly and put a hand on top of her head. When she blinked up at him, he gave her a small smile. "Shrimp, relax. I ain't mad. And it's not like police are lookin fer _you_. But it's better to be safe than sorry."

"I understand." Levy nodded, managing to give him a small smile. It was just something else she'd have to be careful about.

They stood there in silence for a moment, taking in Gajeel's words of wisdom. The silence was broken up by a loud motorcycle pulling up beside them on the road. Gray hopped off Gajeel's bike with a smile.

"Here ya are, boss, sorry it took so long." he nodded towards the bike as he held out Gajeel's helmet, which he'd briefly borrowed.

"Eh? Why'd you have Gray get your motorcycle?" Levy blinked up at her husband curiously.

"Cause _we_ are goin home, shrimp. It's gettin late, and yer meetin up with Wendy in the mornin, in case ya forgot." Gajeel smirked, approaching his bike. He took Levy's helmet out of the storage compartment and held it out to her.

"I didn't forget. But... I wanted to catch up some more." she pouted cutely, glancing back at Jet and Droy. There was so much to catch up on, and they still didn't even know how she was still alive, or how she came to be in Fairy Tail.

"We're staying in town until we get an answer, Levy, don't worry." Jet gave her an easy smile.

"We have plenty of time to catch up." Droy added. Levy looked between them for a moment before giving a soft sigh and a small smile.

"Alright. See you guys later." she waved to them before taking the helmet from Gajeel and putting it on. He checked to make sure it was on right, then hopped on the bike. Levy got on behind him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. No matter how often she rode with him, it was still a little scary at first.

Gajeel revved the bike before taking off, chuckling at Levy's startled squeak. He'd get an earful later for scaring her, but he knew she loved the adrenaline rush as much as he did. Besides, he _loved_ to see her angry. She was beautiful with that fire in her eyes and that angry pout on her lips.

His wife was a real spitfire. And she was all his.

* * *

Woo, another chapter. Welcome to attempt two at this whole planning thing I'm trying out. I'm gonna shoot for weekly updates, if I can. To be fair, finals are right around the corner, so I might stumble a bit around there. But after June 1st everything should be back to normal. Just hang in there with me!

Please tell me what y'all think. I want lots and lots of comments. Good, bad, I don't care (just be respectful and no profanity please). I take constructive criticism and suggestions are always nice!

Go take a look at my one shot series "Shots, shots, shots!" I definitely take suggestions and requests there, but that one will be updated randomly based on when I get new material finished. I need more suggestions for one shot prompts (go comment those on that story, not here please).

Anyways, like always, thanks for reading! You guys rock, and I'm so glad I have so many devoted readers! Love y'all!

Thanks!

-Everythingnerd12, I mean, Nerdy12 (It's so hard to change old habits, gah!)


	52. Determination

**Chapter 52**

"How is your grandfather?" Levy smiled at Wendy as they sat in a cute little cafe with their coffee. Wendy smiled back.

"Great. He's really happy about the alliance, I think." she hummed before giggling at her friend and former boss. "But I don't think you asked me to coffee to talk about that." she had a mischeveous tone in her voice that made Levy blush.

"G-guilty." Levy laughed nervously. She gave Lily a serious look, a warning to keep this secret, and he gave her a smile and a nod. "I... Gajeel and I have been trying for a baby." Levy finally admitted with a blush. Wendy giggled knowingly. Of course they were. They were quite past the honeymoon phase, and there were rumors that they were still going at it like rabbits and traumatizing the guards that got stationed at their house.

"That's great news, Levy." Wendy smiled happily. Levy gave a small smile before it slipped into a frown.

"I... I think there's a problem, Wendy." the senior doctor gave a small sigh. "We've been trying since before the wedding. It's been over six months now, and I haven't been so much as late, let alone showing any signs... I just... I know I'm overthinking it, and I know what I would tell a patient in my shoes... but I need someone else to tell me what I should do. Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense." Wendy nodded. "Doctors tend to over-analyze things when it comes to themselves, after all, and hearing it from another professional helps." She told her, before sitting back and thinking. "It sounds like just bad luck, so far. I wouldn't worry until it's been a year, but it's good to keep an eye open for anything weird. And your cycle is normal?"

"Incredibly so. To the day." Levy nodded.

"You've been trying around ovulation?" Wendy checked, and Levy nodded. "Well... if there was a problem, it could be on his part. Low sperm count, wrong temperature, high stress, you know all this." Again, Levy nodded. "My professional opinion is to relax. Both of you. De-stress, tell him to wear boxers, and stop trying so hard. And stop worrying. You have plenty of time to get that baby." Wendy ended with an amused giggle. "You're what, twenty-three?"

"Twenty-four." Levy admitted with a small blush. Her birthday had been shortly after their wedding. It was hard to believe that just a little under two years ago she'd been a doctor with no friends, living alone in her apartment and just taking it day by day. Here she was now, married to the most wonderful man, trying to have a baby, and one of the most influential people in the city...

"You have plenty of time, Levy. You're young and healthy. He's healthy. Not sure how old Gajeel is, actually."

"Twenty seven." Levy supplied quietly.

"See? Young and healthy. I say don't worry so much and just enjoy your time with your husband, cause once that baby comes, you won't get to enjoy this level of privacy again."

* * *

Levy was finding it hard to keep the blush off her cheeks as she made her way through the mansion. Her talk with Wendy had helped ease her anxiety, but it had also doubled her determination. She was a woman on a mission, now, and she was heading straight for Gajeel. They needed to talk about this.

She rounded a corner, only to run into Gray yet again. He quickly caught her to stop her from falling, apologizing furiously.

"I'm so sorry, Levy. Two days in a row, yikes." Gray sighed heavily as the men he was escorting snickered a bit.

"No, it's okay, Gray. Really." Levy gave a small giggle. It was pretty funny that it happened twice now. And both times he was escorting Jet and Droy. She gave them a smile. "You stayed the night here?"

"Er, no, at a hotel." Droy chuckled.

"Yea, they don't let us know where the mansion is. We're blindfolded on the way here." Jet shook his head with a wry grin. Levy gave them an apologetic smile for Fairy Tail's privacy measures. "Say, where are you heading to in such a hurry?"

"Oh, um, I was going to see Gajeel." Levy answered, blushing a bit as she remembered why she was going to see him.

"He's not in his office." Gray told her with a small smile. At her inquisitive glance, he sighed. "Downstairs."

"Eh? Down there?" Levy's eyes widened a bit. Gray nodded and she frowned a bit. "Do you know how long he'll be?"

"No clue. Natsu's the one with the key, and I saw him in the kitchen, so it must be a long one." Gray gave her a light smile. He knew she was still iffy about that side of Gajeel's life. Not that she wasn't okay with it... she just didn't enjoy seeing it very often. Levy bit her lip as she debated on what to do. Maybe she could ask Natsu if he knew how long it would be before Gajeel came upstairs. She didn't want to interrupt Gajeel's work, after all, and she knew her presence might throw him off a bit and ruin the interrogation.

"Thanks, Gray. I'll go find Natsu, I guess." she decided. Gray just gave a small nod. Levy smiled to Jet and Droy before walking off toward the kitchen.

"Hey, what was that about?" Jet's question could be heard as she got further down the hall. "This place has a downstairs?"

"Why did she seem so tense about it?" Droy asked. Levy didn't hear anything else as she rounded a corner. It wasn't until she heard heavy footsteps behind her that she realized Gray actually told them what was downstairs. She turned around as Jet and Droy ran towards her with concerned expressions on their faces, Gray trailing behind with an annoyed look. He gave Levy an apologetic frown; he hadn't known they'd react this way when he'd told them.

"Levy, don't tell us you're going to a place like that?" Jet demanded, eyes fully of worry.

"With Natsu, yea." Levy hummed, knowing Natsu would be going down at the end of the interrogation to let Gajeel out of the cell.

"We... we can't let you see something like that, Levy!" Droy protested instantly. Levy felt a pang of annoyance go through her. Again with them thinking they had any kind of control over her! She bit back that remark to level them with a cool stare.

"I've seen far worse before, I assure you." she told them easily, and Gray nodded for emphasis.

"But... but you _know_ what he's doing down there... right?" Jet questioned warily. Levy just nodded. "How can you be okay with that? With _seeing_ him do it?! With being married to someone that does that?!"

"Look here. If you think I married Gajeel without knowing the kinds of things he does every day, you're dead wrong." Levy snapped, crossing her arms with an annoyed huff. "I've seen Gajeel do far worse than a little bit of torture, and I'm sure I'm going to see worse things in the future, too. I assure you, I can handle it, and I am quite happily married to him despite knowing what he does."

"But..." Droy started, but Levy cut him off with a raised finger.

"No buts." she huffed. "Guys, I appreciate the concern, really. But you do know I'm married to the next Don, right? What kind of Don's wife would I be if I couldn't handle something like this?" They were about to protest again, but she spoke first. "And another thing! You two are guests here. This is my home as much as it is Gajeel's and the Don's. Who are you to tell _me_ where I can and cannot go?" She demanded, watching as they shut their mouths and cowered like berated puppies. "I'm going now. Gray, kindly escort them to wherever you were taking them in the first place." With that, she turned and started to walk away.

Gray had stars in his eyes, and he was grinning widely. Levy was turning out to be a great fit with the family. And Levy was fuming, more annoyed than angry, honestly. Forget her plans to go down at the end of his interrogation. This conversation made her want to prove herself. She was going down there with Natsu now, dammit. So she continued on to the kitchen, the fire of determination in her eyes.

It seemed she was determined to do a lot today. First it was with trying for a baby, and now this. What next?

"Oh, hey Levy!" Natsu grinned cheerfully at her as she marched into the kitchen. Lily was cooking something at the stove, and he turned to greet her as well, but frowned at seeing her in the mood she was in. It was cute, really, seeing her pouting with her cheeks puffed out, her eyes full of both determination and anger. Once Natsu noticed her mood, he also frowned. He moved to ask what was wrong when she turned sharp eyes to him.

"I need to see Gajeel. Right now." she said so sternly that Natsu could only gulp and nod. He stood up and followed her out of the room, wondering who pissed Levy off.

"Wait, isn't he downstairs?" Lily called after them, but was ignored.

A few minutes later found Natsu leading the way downstairs. Levy was still in an annoyed mood, but he'd managed to convince her on the walk there that he should go first so Gajeel wouldn't be thrown off during the interrogation. She stayed by the door of the stairs while Natsu approached the cell Gajeel was in. She flinched a bit at hearing a horrible male scream. Whatever Gajeel was doing, it must be painful. Now she was a bit thankful that Natsu went first. She could handle seeing what Gajeel was doing, she knew, but she'd still prefer not to see it. The man's screaming stopped once Natsu got Gajeel's attention, and Natsu spoke to him for a bit, though Levy couldn't hear with how quiet they were being.

"Boss, got a small situation." Natsu said quietly as Gajeel approached the cell door.

"What is it now?"

"Your wife needs ta see ya." Natsu explained, scratching the back of his head. "She's, um... in a bad mood. Wouldn't take no for an answer."

"That so?" Gajeel hummed, wondering who pissed off his little wife this time. "Fine, I was done here anyways. Got what I needed a while ago, but the damn idiot went and pissed me off." He shrugged, glancing back at the broken man chained to the wall behind him. "Let me out. You can take care of cleanup."

"Aw, man." Natsu sighed heavily, unlocking the cell door. He hated cleanup duty.

Levy had calmed down some during this time, but she was still pouting when Gajeel approached her. He was in his usual suit, minus the jacket, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. There were a few obvious splatters of blood on his shirt and arms that, a year ago, would have had Levy reeling back in fear of him. Now... it was almost normal to see him this way.

"Levy, do I need ta disappear someone?" Gajeel's joking offer made her smile a little, and he grinned at this. Well at least she wasn't unreasonably angry. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss. "Who ticked ya off, shrimp?"

"Oh, just Jet and Droy again. They keep thinking they can tell me what to do." Levy sighed heavily, leaning into his embrace. "Don't worry, I told them off again." she smiled wryly.

"Che, are they _tryin_ ta sabotage their chances at gettin our help?" Gajeel scoffed at this. You'd think that, with their family's survival on the line, they'd be trying to get on their good side... not pissing Levy off.

"Well... they did have good intentions." Levy sighed. "But they need to understand that I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Yer anything but." Gajeel grinned, running his hands along her wonderful curves. She giggled softly at this and looked up at him.

"I did come down here for a reason. I need to talk to you. Privately." she requested, fluttering those hazel eyes at him. How could he say no to that?

"Sure thing, shrimp. I need ta write down the info I got first." he told her, releasing their embrace and opening the door to the stairs. "After you." His grin gave away his intentions, and Levy couldn't help but giggle.

"You're such a perv, sometimes." she said, but her voice was nothing but amused.

"Do ya blame me?" Gajeel grinned, urging her to go. She obliged him with a blush and a grin, knowing that he was ogling her ass as he followed behind. "Levy, for the love of Mavis, please wear jeans more often."

* * *

"Alright, shrimp, I'm done. What do ya need to talk about?" Gajeel sat back after finishing his report, turning his eyes to his wife. She'd taken a seat across from him, and had been reading one of the books she'd left in his office. She marked her place and set the book aside before looking up at him with an adorable blush.

"We need to stop having spontaneous sex." her words only got a brow raise from her husband. Then he let out a soft sigh and motioned her towards him. She hesitantly moved around the desk, and he pulled her down onto his lap, grinning a bit as he had her straddle him. Even like this, she was still shorter than him, much to his amusement.

"And why is that, shrimp?" His voice was mildly amused, but more curious than anything.

"W-well, because... um..." Levy wasn't quite sure how to word it, and Gajeel was taking advantage of her position to palm her ass, distracting her just a bit as her blush deepened.

"Is this about the baby thing?" he asked intuitively. Levy could only bite her lip and nod. "Knew it. Lemme guess, ya wanna double down on tryin for the baby?" Another mute nod. Gajeel let out an amused sigh. She really wanted this baby, huh? But... "Shrimp, I want a baby, too... but where's the rush? We've only been married a few months. We have plenty of time, Levy."

"I-I know, I just... I've always wanted to be a mother, Gajeel... and just thinking of a little bundle of joy with your hair and my eyes makes me so happy..." She trailed off with a small smile. Gajeel couldn't help but smile at that image, too, and he gave his wife a light kiss.

"Levy... if you really want to, we'll get serious about trying." he promised. "But, if you ask me... we really shouldn't rush it. Let's just enjoy our alone time while we can. Let it happen when it happens." Levy sat there and thought on his words for a moment, before giving a soft sigh. Gajeel was right. Wendy was right. She should really stop trying to rush things, because it was only stressing her out... and that definitely wasn't good for conceiving. Besides... she did like all this alone time that she got with her husband... and a baby would interfere with that.

"I just... need to relax, don't I?" Levy finally sighed, earning a soft chuckle from Gajeel. She gave him a light smile. "Alright. Let's just let it happen when it happens."

"Good. Now... I got plans fer this ass..." Gajeel grinned wickedly, pulling her closer with a hungry kiss. Levy could only smile and kiss him back.

* * *

A few minutes later, a familiar trio was walking past Gajeel's office on the way to see the don. Gray, Jet, and Droy all froze upon hearing what was obviously Levy moaning. Red faces looked at each other before it was silently agreed that they should leave the area immediately and never speak of this again.

* * *

And another chapter for my lovely readers... who aren't commenting for some reaason?! I only got 2 comments on the last chapter. That really hurts guys T.T

Please, please, review! I need to know if you guys are liking where the story is going or not. And if you guys like the regular updating. I'm shooting for once a week updates, maybe on Mondays. Maybe twice a week, depending on how many comments I get...

Thanks for reading,

-Nerdy12


	53. Conditions

**Chapter 53**

Gajeel ran a hand through his shaggy hair, briefly missing his long hair but deciding that this was much better. He looked over the contents in the folder again before turning his crimson eyes to the two nervous men sitting in front of his desk. Jet and Droy had been waiting around for three days for his answer, and he'd finally made a decision. He would have talked it over with his father, first, but the old man made it clear that this was his responsibility now, since he'd asked for it. What a bother. Whatever, at least this one was easy enough.

"There are conditions... but I've decided ta help you." Gajeel finally told them, watching as relief filled their eyes and smiled appeared on their faces. "I wouldn't get so excited yet. Like I said... there's a few conditions."

"Such as?" Jet inquired.

"Well, first of all, y'all gotta stop pissin off my wife." Gajeel rolled his eyes at them. "Three days in a row... you guys ain't doin yerselves any favors." Today they'd ticked her off by constantly interrupting her reading to ask her questions. All she wanted was to read in peace. Every time she managed to get away from them and find someplace quiet to read, they popped up again. It had gotten to the point that she'd snapped at them to leave her alone, then gone to ask Lily to keep her company and shoo the pests away from her. She'd forgotten how annoying her childhood friends could be sometimes...

"Uh, yeah... sorry about that." Droy scratched the back of his head as both men pouted sadly, looking like rebuked puppies. They just wanted to catch up with her and get their questions answered, but Levy wasn't used to such loud, persistent company anymore and their constant questioning quickly wore on her nerves. "We don't know when to shut up sometimes."

"Right..." Gajeel drawled, looking back at his notes. "Just... give her space. She's been in a mood this week, anyways." He didn't know why he was trying to make them feel better. "Anyways, another condition. I still don't trust ya, so I want you both to stay in Magnolia where I can keep an eye on ya. We'll set up a way for ya to keep in contact with the rest of your family while the merge is goin on, and ya can go check on them now and then as long as ya take some of our guys with ya... but ya need a permanent residence in Magnolia." Jet and Droy could only nod to this. That wasn't so bad, but...

"Where will we stay? Clearly, we're not welcome to stay at the mansion." Jet commented, to which Gajeel gave a small sigh.

"Well... ya better not tell Levy yet, but I've been meaning to talk to her about moving back to the mansion permanently. When we do, you guys will be put in the safe house we've been usin." he told them. It worked better that way, since they already had their security systems set up there, and the guards knew the layout of the house very well. There were other reasons Gajeel wanted them to move back to the mansion, but he'd bring those up to Levy later. "Til then, you'll be stayin in that hotel. Fairy Tail will pick up the tab from here, since we're requiring ya to stay there."

"Oh, uh, thanks." Jet gave a small nod of appreciation. "So... how does this merger happen?"

"We're gonna keep our end of the deal first." Gajeel explained. "I'm sending some people to yer hometown to clear out the Believers. After that, the McGarden family is gonna be disbanded. Anyone that wants to join Fairy Tail will be allowed to. Anyone that doesn't will have ta clear out, cause we don't allow rivals in our territory. You two will be liaisons fer those that stay, to help them with the changes. Some of our guys will go there and fortify things fer a while, until everything's goin smoothly." He described before looking back at the folder. "You do have some nice territory, there. Port town, lot's of warehouses, lot's of small businesses. It'll help open up more trade options fer us, and can act as a second base in case we need it." He looked back at Jet and Droy with a smirk. "So. You still wanna do this merger?"

"Of course." Droy said, both men nodding at once. "Anything to keep us going. Whether we are McGarden or Fairy Tail, it doesn't matter. We just want to survive. Everyone in our family is just trying to survive."

"Well, joining Fairy Tail will let ya do more than that. Don't worry, yer family is in good hands. Fairy Tail protects their own."

* * *

"How'd the meeting go?" Levy asked as Jet and Droy were leaving the office. She was still a bit annoyed with them, but she did hope the meeting went well. Lily stood behind her, leaning against the wall as he watched over his charge. He usually wouldn't follow her around the mansion but Levy had requested his company for the day. Seems she was still a bit anxious about Jet and Droy being in the mansion, and today they were without an escort. Not that she didn't trust them... she just wanted to play it safe. Besides, they'd annoyed her already today, and Lily was good for scaring them away if she needed him to.

"Great. Everything's going to be just fine." Jet answered while Droy smiled quite happily.

"That's wonderful." Levy said honestly. She hadn't known what Gajeel's decision would be, especially considering the fact that Jet and Droy had been getting on her nerves lately, to which Gajeel took personal offense. But luckily that didn't affect his thinking and he was able to make an informed decision based on the facts laid out for him. The McGardens had great territory and a fair number of members that might be willing to join Fairy Tail. What they lacked in resources and income was made up for by those two facts. All Fairy Tail had to do was wipe out a little gang... and they were pros at that. Really, Fairy Tail gained more out of this than the McGardens did... though now it looked like that family would be absorbed into Fairy Tail. It was kind of poetic, really. The McGardens and Redfoxes uniting this way. A tad bit ironic, too.

"Oh, shrimp..." Gajeel also came out of the office, stopping when he realized everyone was standing just outside the door. "Didn't know ya were waitin on me. Ya ready fer dinner?" He raised a brow at his wife, who nodded with a happy smile.

"I saw this cute little bistro when I went out with Wendy yesterday." her way of hinting that she wanted to go there made him smirk.

"Wherever you want, shrimp. Go wait in the car. I gotta take these two ta my old man." he shooed her off with a small smile. She grinned happily and gave a quick wave to Jet and Droy before hurrying off with Lily in tow. Gajeel watched her intently as she walked away, forcing back an amused growl. The shrimp was wearing tight jeans again, and adding an extra sway to her hips. She knew he'd be watching that perfect ass of hers. Little minx.

When she was fairly far away, Gajeel came back to reality, and his eyes turned cold as he noticed Jet and Droy had also been staring unabashedly. He scowled and grabbed them both by the back of their heads, bringing them together with a delightful _'thwack!'_ Both men shouted in pain.

"That's _my wife_ , you idiots. Keep yer eyes to yerself if you wanna _keep_ yer eyes." he growled in annoyance as Jet and Droy held onto their foreheads with pained grimaces. "Now come on. Old man wants ta see ya to finalize everything."

* * *

"Aw but I like the safehouse." Levy pouted cutely when Gajeel told her that he wanted them to move back into the mansion. They were at that bistro Levy wanted to try. It was very quaint, and the food was quite good, not to mention the quiet atmosphere made for a nice dinner. They were waiting on dessert when Gajeel decided to bring up moving.

"I know, shrimp, but you know we can't stay there forever." Gajeel gave her a small smile. "And we're both always at the mansion, anyways. Besides, things are about ta get pretty dangerous, with this Heartfilia business." He paused as the waitress came by and set their desserts in front of them. "I just wanna keep ya safe, shrimp, and the mansion is the safest place right now."

"I vaguely recall being abducted while staying there." Levy pointed out. It was true, during the incident with Phantom Lord, she'd been in the mansion and under guard the whole time. But...

"Levy, we weren't expecting something like that, and I _am_ sorry. More than you can understand. But we learned our lesson, and now we're prepared for anything to happen at any time. Security is tighter than ever." Gajeel assured her. Levy gave a soft sigh at this. She knew he still felt guilty over her abduction, and she knew that their entire guard had gone through intense training after that. They were always on high alert now. Still...

"I feel like there's more to this that you aren't telling me." she finally said, giving her husband a serious look. He just grinned at her. She was sharp as ever.

"There is, but that's a discussion we shouldn't have in public." he told her. "Look, Levy... I know ya'd rather stay at the safe house. I would, too. But I really think this is the best course of action." Levy sat back and thought it over. Eventually she let out a soft sigh.

"Alright. But on one condition." she added. Gajeel grinned and motioned for her to go ahead with her request. "I want to go back to work. Being stuck in the mansion all the time is so boring, Gajeel."

"Levy, you could have gone back to work at any time." Gajeel told her with a soft chuckle. Then he sighed. "But... right now, I'd rather you not. Not because I don't want you to work," he added quickly when he saw her open her mouth to protest. "It's cause I was serious about things getting dangerous soon. Jude Heartfilia is a dangerous man, Levy. He will be trying to stop us any way he can, and he _will_ target you if he can. It's easy to find out where you work. It's easy to get men on the inside, sneak them into your nurse team and such. I would know, I did that when we first started dating, to keep an eye on you." He shook his head with a small smile. Good times, good times. "Look, shrimp, if you can wait until all this settles down, it would be much better. I ain't gonna stop you, if you really wanna go back now... but I am asking you, as yer husband... please wait." he turned serious eyes to her.

How could Levy resist such a heartfelt request from her concerned husband? She looked at him with soft eyes and offered a small smile.

"Okay, Gajeel... but only until the danger passes." His genuine, relieved smile was well worth her waiting a few months to reenter the workforce. But only a few months.

* * *

Woo, another chapter! I'm so glad people actually commented on the last one. Believe it or not, you guys really do direct the flow of this story. I listen to y'all... sometimes. This time I did, anyways. Not going to reveal what it was, but it was something I got a fair amount of comments on.

Anyways, please continue to comment. It really encourages me to write!

Finals are right around the corner, btw, so I may have a rocky span of two weeks or so where my updates aren't very regular. Once I'm on summer break, things will go back to normal. Promise.

Thanks for reading, like always!

-Nerdy12


	54. Moving Again

**Chapter 54**

Moving back into the mansion was a relatively easy process. Virgo was very expedient in packing up Levy's and Gajeel's belongings, then getting them sent to the mansion. It only took a day for everything to be packed up and sent over, and now Levy was busy going through their things and unpacking.

They weren't in their old room anymore. That room had been a guest room, really, and they'd stayed there simply because they hadn't been planning to stay long. Now that they were permanently moving in, Gajeel had one of the better suites cleaned up and ready for them.

Levy liked this much better. Whereas the old room had just been a bedroom, this one was more like a small apartment. The first room you entered from the hallway was a nice sized living room, with a comfy couch and a television. Off of that room: to the left was a small kitchenette and pantry and to the right was a large luxurious bathroom with a second door that also led to the bedroom. Heading straight back through the living room and a set of heavy double doors was their bedroom, complete with a king-sized bed, very nice mahogany furniture, and a walk-in closet with plenty of space for both of their clothes.

Perhaps living in the mansion wouldn't be so bad after all. This suite was fantastic. Levy couldn't believe she never knew these suites were here. They were just around the corner from the mansion's library, too! And down the next hall was the don's office, and Gajeel's office was around the corner from there. To top it all off, their bedroom actually had windows this time, though they looked out into the courtyard. Now that security had been upped significantly, Gajeel felt it was safe enough to have a room with windows again. Even now, Levy could see some guards patrolling the rooftops. That would take some getting used to; seeing those guards all the time. But it was so nice to have natural light in their room this time that Levy didn't care.

"What ya think, shrimp?" Gajeel's voice startled her a bit. She quickly turned to the bedroom doors, finding him standing there with a grin, holding another box. It was weird to see him in anything but a suit, but today he was wearing shorts and a black tank top as he was helping her unpack. "This ain't so bad, right?"

"Well this is definitely an upgrade from the last room." Levy giggled a bit. He set the box down nearby, then took a seat on the floor next to her to help her in the tedious task of sorting through their clothes. "So what's the part of this that you're not telling me?" Levy decided to ask, considering Gajeel had yet to tell her.

"Well... there's two things, shrimp." Gajeel told her with a small sigh. "First of all, those two idiots are gonna be movin into the safe house so we can keep an eye on them til we trust them."

"Hm, well I guess it's good that they're sticking around." Levy gave a small smile. It would be nice to catch up with them some more and, once she knew they could be trusted, she would finally tell them how she was even alive. They'd been dying to know. "What else?"

"Old man's been talkin... after this Heartfilia business is out of the way," he paused and took a deep breath, "he's gonna step down." His words made Levy drop the shirt she was folding in pure shock, and she turned surprised eyes to her husband. His eyes and expression were serious. He wasn't joking.

"Really?" she still found herself asking. Gajeel nodded curtly. "But... why? I thought he didn't want to step down for a while..."

"He didn't." Gajeel sighed. "But things happen, ya know? And he's gettin pretty old. I think he just wants to relax, and he finally trusts me ta handle things on my own."

"Did he not trust you before?"

"Well... it ain't that, really. He trusted me, just..." he paused with a heavy sigh, "shrimp, before I met ya I was such a hot head. Pickin fights left and right, sleepin around, doin what I wanted when I wanted to, shit like that. I still did my job, and I knew when ta get serious, but lookin back I was pretty fuckin immature." Gajeel sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head. Then he suddenly grinned at her. "And then this tiny little spitfire woman came inta my life and made me care about her... and I guess I grew up pretty quick. Cause I've definitely mellowed out a fuck ton since we first met, Levy. And I think my old man was waitin fer me ta be ready up here," he tapped a finger against his temple, "before he stepped down."

"I see..." Levy hummed thoughtfully. It's true, Gajeel was a lot more hot-headed and cocky at the start of their relationship. He'd really mellowed out over the past two years. Wow, had it really been that long? "Gajeel, it's March... right?"

"Yeah, why?" Gajeel didn't understand the randomness of her question.

"You know... we met for the first time on March second... two years ago." Levy smiled up at him, watching as understanding filled his eyes. He grinned at her. It really had been that long, huh? They met in march, dated a few weeks before the incident at the hospital, four months later went on that vacation, a month later came Lily, two months after that was the Phantom Lord War, four months later was their wedding, and they'd now been married for a little over six months... it really had been two years. "It feels like it's only been a few weeks, sometimes, and other times it feels like it's been forever." Levy mused with a soft sigh.

"I know what ya mean." Gajeel chuckled, pulling his wife onto his lap with a soft kiss. "We should do something to celebrate... even if it's a little late. What do ya think?"

"Celebrate how?" Levy giggled.

"Hm, let's combine celebrating that, and celebrating moving... and let's go christen that bed, huh?" he gave her a wicked grin and no time to respond, as he quickly stood up with her in his arms. Levy let out a loud, amused laugh as he carried her right to their new bed and dumped her onto it before she was silenced with a heavy kiss. She slid her arms around Gajeel's neck as he crawled over her, pinning her to the very soft and extremely comfortable mattress... yeah, maybe living at the mansion wouldn't be so bad, after all.

* * *

Hurray for another chapter! I think I'm going to stick to Monday and Thursday updates, since it's working out pretty good so far. What do you guys think? Biweekly updates? Yay or nay?

Anyways, please please comment! I need to hear from you guys! It gives me inspiration to write more, and if I write more, these weekly and biweekly updates will keep happening for a long time to come.

Thanks for reading, like always!

-Nerdy12


	55. Growth

_A/N: Be warned, this chapter talks about guns, and I am not a gun expert. So don't judge me if I got something wrong..._

 **Chapter 55**

Gajeel sighed softly as he looked down at his sleeping wife. She was so beautiful and she looked so peaceful, sleeping soundly in his arms, cuddling into his chest. She was so tiny, his large arms around her only confirmed this. So small and delicate-looking... though he knew she was anything but delicate. This woman had fire in her eyes. Will and determination. No longer was there the fear and timidness he'd seen early in their relationship. She wasn't weak anymore, despite what she may think. She was strong. Gajeel could see it. She was strong...

And he knew she could handle what he'd just decided.

* * *

Levy followed Gajeel closely, holding his hand nervously as he led her towards the guard barracks, a determined look in his eyes. She did not like this, not one bit. She knew why they were going back there, and she didn't want to go... but she understood why he'd decided she should do this. She couldn't exactly protest. His logic was too sound and her only rebuttal was that she didn't want to. She needed to do this, and she knew she needed to... that didn't mean she liked it.

The pistol was heavy when it was placed in her hands. Levy could only stare at the heavy weapon in her hands as Gajeel set about getting things ready. She had suspected but hadn't known for sure that there was a shooting range by the guard barracks. Just like there was a gym. She'd never been in here before, obviously. Luckily, nobody else was there practicing, so it was just her and Gajeel. She looked across the range at her target, a harmless piece of paper with circles on it. At least it wasn't shaped like a human. That... would bring back some bad memories. She still had nightmares about killing Brain sometimes.

"Alright, shrimp. We're gonna take it easy today." Gajeel gave her a reassuring smile, knowing how nervous she was about this. Still, it was a huge improvement over the girl he'd met two years ago. She wouldn't have even touched a gun back then, yet she was standing here now, holding one, willing to learn how to shoot despite not liking guns at all. He was proud of this alone, and he was glad she listened to reason.

Levy needed to learn how to protect herself. Just in case. The taser he'd given her over a year ago was a start, but it only had one shot in it. And sure, she'd shot a gun before... but it had been at point blank range and in a life-or-death situation. She didn't know how to properly handle a gun, and they shouldn't rely on guards being enough to protect her 100% of the time. With things about to get really dangerous with Jude Heartfilia, Gajeel wanted to make sure his wife stayed safe no matter what.

"This is the safety, always have that on until you plan to shoot. I'm gonna show ya how to load it, so watch carefully, alright?" Gajeel took the pistol from her and took out the magazine to show her that that's where the bullets were. "These are easy, they just slide right in." he said, putting the magazine back into the handle of the gun. "Then you load the first round into the chamber." He cocked it with the sliding mechanism at the top. "These kinds of pistols, you don't have to cock em every time like you see in old movies. Just the first round." he explained to his wife, who was listening intently. She nodded in understanding. "When the magazine is empty, it'll pop right out, and then ya load it again." He locked eyes with her now, his eyes narrowed and serious. "Levy, always assume a gun is loaded. Even if ya just unloaded it, assume it's loaded anyways. Never point this at someone yer not ready to see dead, got it?"

"I-I know." Levy nodded tensely. Gajeel knew she knew it, but he had to stress it. Misfires did happen, and he'd rather spare her from having to deal with something like that.

"Alright. Put these on, shrimp." He held out some headphone-looking things and safety glasses. "Those are for the sound." Gajeel answered her unasked question as she put them over her head. Once she was set up, he took her to stand in front of the target, which was set closer than usual for her since she was learning. The other targets on the range were set pretty far back, something that Levy took note of. Gajeel put the gun in her hands and stood behind her. "Alright, Lev, just relax. Legs apart, shoulders back." Gajeel gently took her shoulders and had her roll them back as she aimed down the range. He reached around her and adjusted her grip on the pistol. "There, like that. Now, look down the sights. You want the front one and the back one lined up. Good." He grinned as she was catching on easily. She was good at listening to instruction, at least, but putting it into practice was different.

"N-now what?" Levy glanced back at her husband.

"Just focus on aiming fer now. Look between the sights and yer target. Ya wanna hit that middle circle, there." he told her. "Try ta keep yer hands nice and steady. Good. Ya can take off the safety, now. We're just gonna do a few practice shots." Gajeel said, reaching around her. His arms went around hers and he held the gun with her. "It's got a kick, shrimp. Don't try ta prepare fer it, it'll just throw yer shots off."

"O-okay." Levy nodded.

"Now, take a deep breath and relax yer mind, but keep yer arms and stance tense." he instructed his little wife, who took a few shaky breaths before her breathing evened out. He grinned as he could feel her relax, despite her arms and stance remaining tense. Levy found that it really helped that Gajeel was behind her and helping her hold the heavy weapon. Meanwhile, Gajeel was thinking he'd have to get a smaller pistol for her, since this one was the standard that their guards carried, and his own pistol was even heavier. She could barely hold it up and, while she'd get better at that in time, she probably shouldn't have such a heavy gun for her own use.

"Alright, shrimp. Focus on the target again. When yer ready, shoot." Gajeel said softly. He was helping her with her aim so, when she did shoot, it hit the outer ring of the second most inner circle. Not bad for the first time. Levy squeaked a bit at the sudden kick the gun gave. Luckily, Gajeel also holding the gun kept her from dropping it in her surprise. Gajeel let out a small chuckle. "I told ya there's a kick."

They did a few more rounds, with Gajeel helping her. Levy started to relax and even smile as her shots got closer and closer to the inner circle. And then Gajeel felt she could handle aiming and handling the kick on her own... and he stepped back to let her try it by herself. To his surprise, she still managed to hit the target. He'd been helping her aim a fair amount, but she was pretty good at that on her own. Now, to just let her practice and figure it out on her own. Eventually she was making shots close to what she'd been doing with Gajeel's help, but she still couldn't make it to that inner circle.

"Ah, don't sweat it, shrimp. Ya just need more practice." Gajeel smiled at her deflated pout. He took the pistol from her and loaded it again, but didn't hand it back this time. "Wanna see what a pro can do?" He grinned at her eager nod. Mavis, she'd come into the range a nervous wreck but now she was having fun. Shooting wasn't so bad... just as long as it wasn't at a person. Gajeel took her spot in front of the target, but he didn't aim for hers. He took aim at the furthest target out, a hanging one that could be electronically moved forward and back. He quickly emptied his magazine at it. Pressing a button had the target brought to the front, revealing a human-shaped target with a single hole in the head.

"Did you only hit it once?" Levy asked curiously. Gajeel just gave her a proud grin.

"Nope. All six bullets hit right here." he said, pointing to the single hole. "Look, ya can even see where I'm gettin rusty. Need to work on that." he traced around the single imperfection to the circular hole before looking back to his wife, who was staring at him with awe. And then she pouted.

"You did that... and so much further away than mine..."

"Shrimp, I've been doin this fer over a decade." Gajeel shook his head in amusement. "You just started today. And you did really well fer yer first time. Even I didn't do this good my first time." He gave her a gentle smile as he called her target forward. He took the paper off and held it out to her. "I say ya hold onto that. Maybe put it in that keepsake box you've got."

"Well... okay. But I want that one in it, too." Levy gestured to his target. He grinned and took it down, handing it to her and watching as she took both target papers over to the nearby table. He followed her, watching her write 'Levy Redfox, April of year X790, First Shooting Lesson with my husband, 5 yards' onto her target. She handed him the pen, then, with an expecting smile. He chuckled and took it, writing 'Gajeel Redfox, April X790, 50 yards, 6 shots one hole - needs work, taught shrimp how to shoot' on his target to appease her.

"We ain't doin this every time, shrimp." he handed back the pen with a wry grin.

"I know." she giggled. "But maybe on milestones? It could be a tradition..." she suggested timidly. Gajeel grinned.

"And here ya were scared of this an hour ago." he chuckled. "I like that idea. Maybe on our first anniversary and special events." He grinned at his wife, who smiled happily. "Now, let's get cleaned up. I'm hungry."

* * *

Another chapter. Bam. I'm starting to like this whole writing ahead thing. I don't feel as pressured to write, and that really helps the creativity come forth. Although, I do have to fight the temptation to just upload these once I'm done writing them.

Please don't hate on me if the gun and shooting stuff is incorrect. I looked it up on wikihow to be completely honest. Y'all get the gist of it, so no hate.

Don't worry, I plan on things picking up again soon. But these past few chapters have been a nice break from the chaos I have planned, muahaha.

Yo, and what's with the lack of reviews? I though updating more would encourage more reviews.

Also, if you follow me, pretty please favorite me, too! Lol I have a lot more followers than favoriters for some reason.

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	56. Talks

_A/N: this one has a short lemon in it. You've been warned._

 **Chapter 56**

It was dead silent as Gajeel stared at his father, taking in the information he'd just been told with a dark frown. He looked back at the folder he'd been handed, scrutinizing the picture stapled to the inside. A lean man with wild red-brown hair and dark brown eyes, a fresh scar cutting through one of those eyes. This. This was the man they'd been searching for. This Cobra person, who would have the answers they needed about Phantom Lord and Levy's importance...

He'd gone running to Jude Heartfilia. Jude stood nearby in the picture they had, looking rather at ease with the man. He'd willingly accepted him, for some reason.

"Reports are, he's been trading information with Jude." Metalicana broke the long silence. "His ticket in was information about Lucy's whereabouts, hence how Jude found out she was with us. And now..."

"He knows how we fight." Gajeel said intuitively. "He was there during the war. Don't know how he escaped, but he saw how we do things. We can't use that same tactic against Heartfilia."

"Indeed." The don nodded, proud at his son's intuition. He really was getting the hang of this. The family would be in good hands when he finally stepped down. Still, his son had much to learn, and not all of it was stuff that could be taught. "What would you propose we do about this?"

"I'll have ta talk to the rest of the alliance, but I got a few ideas." Gajeel gave a small but confident smirk. "But we gotta make sure to get Cobra alive... and that's the tough part. Here's what I'm thinkin..."

* * *

Levy was humming softly to herself as she walked back to the suite, arms full of the new books she'd found in the library. It really wasn't so bad, living in the mansion. All the books she could read, Gajeel was always around, and now Jet and Droy were over frequently so she got to see them. A month into living there, and she was adjusting just fine. Thriving, even.

Levy smiled happily as she walked into the suite, setting her books down on the coffee table in the living room before moving to the kitchenette to make some tea. Footsteps coming from behind her startled her, and she turned around quickly, finding her husband standing in the doorway with a small smirk.

"Thought I heard ya come in." he chuckled at having startled her.

"You're back early." Levy commented as her husband walked into the small kitchenette. It would really be a kitchen, but it lacked a stove. Other than that, it had everything else. Decent cabinet space, a sink, a full fridge, and a microwave. Plus there was enough space for a small table and two chairs. Still, it was a small room, and Gajeel's large form took up most of the space.

"Yeah. Was packing." he sighed, pulling her into his arms with a gentle hug.

"Packing? Are you going somewhere?"

"Clovertown." Gajeel told her. "Meeting with the alliance to finalize the plans."

"How long?" Levy asked him softly.

"About a week. Depends on how the meetings go." he shrugged.

"When do you leave?"

"Was planning in a few hours." Gajeel told her, watching as she pouted at this information. He moved to speak again - he had more to tell her, after all - but he saw her eyes suddenly fill with determination. Intrigued and wanting to see where this went, he stayed silent. Levy pulled from his arms and gave him a firm stare.

"Bedroom. Right now." she blushed as she said it, but her eyes remained determined.

"Shrimp-"

"You're not leaving me for a whole week with such short notice without at least taking care of my itch." she said firmly, already dragging him to the bedroom. Gajeel bit back an amused grin and let her drag him to the bed.

"But, shrimp-"

"Gajeel, at least give me this. Please." she pleaded, losing her bravado for a moment, her voice cracking slightly. She didn't want him to leave for a whole week, not one bit, but she was trying so hard to be a supportive wife and a good don's wife and let him take care of business... she was trying so hard, but if he didn't at least give her this, she knew she'd let the tears that she was trying so hard to hold back fall. She'd been desperate to see him all day, had even gotten distracted from her books a few times by the unbearable itch she felt, and she'd been waiting patiently for him to have some free time to spend with her. And now he was leaving in only a few hours and she just didn't think she could take it anymore.

Seeing that his wife really was about to get very upset, Gajeel relented with a soft, amused sigh. He sat down on the bed and opened his arms to her with a small smirk. "Alright, baby, I'm all yours." He smiled when she perked up at this, and she was quickly in his arms. He pulled her onto his lap, letting her straddle him as she quickly and eagerly kissed her husband. He let her take the lead this time, loving how assertive she was being. Just because he liked being the dominant one most of the time, it didn't me he didn't enjoy her taking control now and then. It was a huge turn on to see his tiny shrimp taking charge.

 *****Lemon*****

Levy was quick to begin unbuttoning his dress shirt, eagerly pushing it off of his muscular torso once the buttons were out of the way. Tiny teeth soon found purchase on his neck and Gajeel groaned, holding her closer as she nibbled and sucked at his neck, her small hands mapping his chest and shoulders before she raked her nails down his chest, enticing a pleased hiss from her husband. Levy mewled softly as she could feel him growing hard while she was straddling him. Gajeel's hands were not idle while she tortured him with her sweet mouth. He was quick to pull off her tank top and toss it away, before bringing his hands up to tease her breasts, loving her cute moans.

After a few minutes of teasing each other, Levy finally had enough. No more foreplay, she needed him. She tugged at his pants for emphasis before standing up from him to pull off her skirt and panties. Gajeel grinned and quickly shimmied out of his trousers before grabbing his wife and pulling her back onto his lap with a hungry kiss. Levy moaned softly as she felt him rubbing against her slick folds. She lifted herself up slightly, then sank down onto his length, moaning sweetly as pleasure filled her. Gajeel let out a groan as as began to roll her hips, and he kissed her fiercely as she clung to him tightly. Finally, she raised her hips before coming back down onto his length, enticing moans from both spouses.

Gajeel could only groan in pleasure as his little wife took her pleasure from him, riding him eagerly as she tried to reach her end. At some point he'd laid back on the bed and grabbed her hips to help her along. Seeing her on top of him, riding on his cock, her breasts bouncing in time with her movements, her head tossed back as she cried out in pleasure... it was a truly breathtaking sight. She was starting to falter as she got closer and closer to her end, and Gajeel had to help her more and more. Finally, he pulled her body down onto his, holding her to his chest as he thrust up into her roughly. Her cry of bliss filled his ears, and he soon felt her walls clamp down around him like a vice. Gajeel hissed in pleasure as her climax forced him into his own, and he spilled into her with a low groan.

End Lemon

They lay there in the afterglow, too spent to move. Levy lay on top of him, panting cutely for air as Gajeel held her close, his hands trailing up and down her sides. He was breathing heavily, as well, but was recovering quicker than she was. He grinned down at his little wife.

"You should take charge more often, shrimp. I like it." he chuckled as his words made her blush deeply. He laid his head back on the bed again with a grin, letting out an amused laugh as he remembered what led to this in the first place. "By the way... yer bag's packed, too. We're leavin after a shower and dinner."

* * *

A few hours later found Gajeel and Levy waiting at the train station with Natsu, Gray, Jet, and Droy. Gajeel had not planned for Jet and Droy to be coming, but... they were helping with this Heartfilia stuff and he thought it would be best if they sat in at the meeting. Plus they'd begged to come along once they found out Levy was going, too. He'd let them come, but had stressed that they were trying to be inconspicuous, so as not to tip off Heartfilia to anything suspicious... so dress simple.

Trying to get those two to dress plainly was a pain in the ass. When they'd arrived at the safe house to pick them up, they were in their usual flashy outfits. After making them change, they came out wearing equally ridiculous clothes just to spite him. Gajeel ended up sicking Levy on them, and she chewed them out for wasting their time and being rude and putting them all in danger by standing out so much. They'd sulked off and changed into gray and white travel clothes.

Now they were all just waiting around for the train to arrive. Levy was pouting just a bit. Lily wasn't coming with them, this time. As great of a body guard he was, he stood out too much with his height and large muscles. Even Gajeel's presence was pushing it a bit, considering how big he was and how everyone always took note of his piercings. He tried not to stand out too much, wearing some comfortable black travel pants, a gray t-shirt, and a dark gray jacket. Levy was wearing a plain beige sweater with jeans, and Natsu and Gray were both wearing t-shirts and jeans. They looked like a normal group of passengers, and they blended into the crowds fairly well.

The train finally arrive and they boarded, everyone in their group was seated in the same cabin. It was small, with cushioned benches on three sides, a table in the middle for them to eat off of, and storage compartments above and below the seats. A small bathroom was attached to the side near the main door.

"You weren't kiddin about being inconspicuous." Jet hummed as they all got as comfortable as they could. It wasn't first class or cushy like any of them, aside from Levy, were used to... but everyone there understood why. Jude Heartfilia likely already knew something was going down soon. They couldn't afford to give him any kind of advantage by knowing where they were or who they talked to.

"Aw, this isn't so bad, guys." Levy giggled. "This is actually pretty nice for an economy cabin. The seats even have cushions on them."

"Eh? They don't usually?" Droy asked in shock. Levy could only shake her head with an amused grin, and that really forced Jet and Droy to put some things into perspective. Levy had really grown up living a completely different lifestyle than they had... with her being a mafia boss' daughter and all, they'd expected her to have been raised in comfort, even if her parents had died, which they had. She was left a lot of money, after all... surely she knew that? Surely she was raised in comfort. Yet, she so clearly wasn't... sure, she was a doctor, and doctors made a lot of money. But she'd mentioned working her way through college and only affording a small apartment for herself before...

Droy hadn't realized he'd said all this out loud until he saw that all eyes were on him. He blushed and apologized, realizing that maybe it was a touchy subject.

"It's okay, Droy. It's an understandable question." Levy hummed. "You guys still don't even know how I'm still alive, after all... maybe it's time to tell you?" She glanced to Gajeel, who gave an approving nod. They'd been with the family long enough, now, and while he didn't necessarily like them, he knew they were trustworthy. So he let Levy tell her tale to them, noticing that Natsu and Gray were also listening intently. They knew the gist of it, after all, but not the full story.

"I really don't know if Grandeeny even knew about the money." Levy ended her tale with a hum. "She went to the don to get her identity changed and to make sure any news of my survival got buried. It's possible that she knew about whatever inheritance I had, but was afraid to touch it in case Phantom Lord found out I survived. Or it's possible she just didn't know." she shrugged. "Either way, I was raised to be practical and careful with my money, and I'm glad I was raised that way."

"Why is that? It's not like you have to worry about money now..." Jet commented, glancing at Gajeel. She was one of the wealthiest people in the country now, not that she really understood that. She knew Fairy Tail had a lot of money, of course, but all that money essentially belonged to the don and Gajeel... and now her.

"Well, for one, it taught me to appreciate what I have and the value of a jewel." Levy hummed. "And for another, if I could have afforded more than that dingy little apartment, I wouldn't have lived there... and I wouldn't have met Gajeel if I hadn't been living there." She gave a sweet smile to her husband, who gave a soft chuckle at her.

"Ain't that the truth? I'd probably be dead if ya hadn't lived there, shrimp."

"Eh? Why is that?" Droy asked curiously, looking between the two. "How _did_ you meet?"

"Well..." Levy began, but Gajeel shook his head with a snort.

"That's a story for another time, shrimp. It's gettin real late." He nodded his head towards the window. Sure enough, the sun had gone down while they were talking. "We're supposed ta arrive real early in the morning. Let's sleep while we can." With that, the chatter ceased. Everyone got as comfortable as they could... and they continued the journey in silence.

* * *

Another chapter, wee! Sorry this one's a bit late in the day. I completely rewrote this one today because I didn't like how it transitioned. Besides, people have been begging me for another lemon, so I added in a short one for y'all.

Anyways, thanks so much for all the comments with the last chapter! It made me so happy!

Next week I might not be able to post, due to it being finals week. I will for sure post on Thursday, but after that finals will be screwing me over. Sorry in advance!

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	57. Blue Pegasus

**Chapter 57**

"It's so pretty." Levy awed as they walked out of the train station. Clovertown was a beautiful town tucked between lush mountains and a dense forest. The town, itself, had a very vintage feel to it, with the buildings made of stucco, painted white, and roofed with beautiful deep orange tiles. Beautiful flowers were everywhere, planted by the sidewalks, hanging from baskets near shops, in window planters, everywhere. The street even kept with the beautiful atmosphere; it was a nice tan-colored cobblestone road.

Gajeel smirked. He knew Levy would love this town. It was old, vintage, and beautiful... and he knew it reminded her of a scene you would usually only find in books. This was partly why he'd taken her with him on this trip. Well, this and the fact that this trip was quite safe. Even now, he could see the guards everywhere. Patrolling the streets, standing on roofs, guarding the train station. Why would such a small town have so many guards, you may ask? The answer was simple. This town was the base for Blue Pegasus, and every single citizen was one of its civilian members.

Blue Pegasus was a smaller family, yes, but that was only considering the trained members that actually committed crime, not the civilians. If you took into account the civilian members, they were second in number only to Fairy Tail, who also had a huge amount of civilians in its ranks. What Blue Pegasus had done was quite ingenious, really. They'd managed to get an entire town under their control, and willingly to boot. They came in, wiped out some drug cartel that was terrorizing the place, and put themselves up as Clovertown's new protectors. Their only condition had been that everyone in the town join them. The civilians were allowed to live their lives as they pleased, only paying some small taxes to Blue Pegasus to keep everything going. Blue Pegasus' real income was from black market goods, after all (though not arms, like Fairy Tail), so it's not like they needed a lot of money from the citizens. Blue Pegasus was actually doing pretty damn well for such a small family.

"We can explore it later, shrimp." Gajeel promised his excited wife, directing her towards the waiting cars just outside the train station. They needed to be getting to Blue Pegasus' headquarters to start this meeting.

* * *

"Welcome, welcome, my beautiful guests!" Don Bob of Blue Pegasus certainly was an interesting character. He was a short, plump, middle-aged bald man, but he was wearing makeup and lipstick... and a red dress. Levy briefly remembered someone like that being at their wedding, though he'd been wearing a black dress, then. "Please, let's get you settled into your beautiful rooms! Oh, Ichiyan-san, do you mind escorting these beautiful guests?" Bob turned to look at an even shorter middle-aged man with long orange hair and a very, er, chiseled face.

"Of course, sir." he said eagerly, moving quickly to escort everyone. He stopped in front of Levy with a wide smile and started sniffing the air. "Ah, the perfume of a young woman, how refreshing!"

"I-I'm not... wearing perfume..." Levy stuttered out with a small blush, moving closer to her husband. This guy was giving her the creeps. He continued to sniff at her, and she hid behind Gajeel, who glared down at Ichiya.

"Oi, Ichiya, that's my wife. Back off." Gajeel huffed at the short man, who was shorter than even Levy. Ichiya merely shrugged with a careless smile and led them away.

Their rooms were quite nice, actually, like a five star hotel, even. Levy and Gajeel were in a room next to Jet and Droy, who got a room with two beds, and Gray and Natsu were sharing a room as they were alternating sleep and guard duty during the night.

Gajeel quickly set about changing into some nice slacks and a white dress shirt, grumbling to himself that he should have brought his suit. The problem with that was he would have had to iron it if he'd brought it, because it would be wrinkled after being in a suitcase. He was not going to bring it in a dry cleaning bag onto a train, not when they were trying to blend in.

"Are you coming to the meeting, shrimp? I packed you something to wear for it." Gajeel commented as he was fixing up his tie.

"Eh? I can come to the meeting?" Levy asked with wide eyes.

"Of course. You should know what's gonna happen, too." Gajeel gave her a light smile. "But if you wanna relax after such a long trip, I'll make sure Gray stays with ya."

"I wanna go." Levy smiled brightly at her husband. He smiled back and pulled out the dress suit he'd bought for her. It was simple but very professional looking, a black form-fitting dress with a gold chain belt around the waist and a matching blazer with gold buttons. Levy stared at it in awe. "You got this for me?"

"Sure did. Figured you'd be comin with me to more and more meetings, so ya need somethin to wear to em." he grinned as she took the dress. He dug out a pair of black flats, too, handing them to her and watching as she happily changed into the dress. It looked fantastic on her, and she looked very mature and professional, almost like a lawyer or, you know, a don's wife.

"Thank you, Gajeel. This is so nice. And really comfortable, too." She marveled over the soft material of the dress suit for a moment before smiling happily at her husband. It really meant a lot to her that he'd go this far to ensure she felt welcome to be involved in family matters. He wanted her to be involved, of course, but he knew she still felt like she didn't belong at the meetings. She stood out, she'd told him once. Everyone was wearing a suit, and she only had a couple of dresses that weren't even remotely that formal, not for a business setting, anyways. Well... now she had something. And he'd buy her more, if it made her feel better about attending meetings.

"Got ya somethin else, too, shrimp." Gajeel smiled at his wife, digging into their suitcase again. He'd been meaning to give her this one for a while. He pulled out something that looked like straps to Levy, and she gave him a curious look. He just grinned and approached his wife, kneeling down in front of her and hiking up the skirt of her dress a bit. "You put it on like this, and tighten it to keep it in place. Don't cut off circulation, though." he explained as he attached the straps to her upper thigh. When he was done, he went back to the suitcase and pulled out a much smaller metal case. Opening it, he took out the contents and turned to face her again. He was holding a pistol that looked absolutely miniature in his hand, keeping it aimed up to show her.

"This..." he gestured to the weapon with his free hand, "is yours." Pointing the gun down, he held it out to her and she took it with wide eyes. It was the perfect size for her, a smaller gun with smaller ammo. The gun, itself, was a deep steel color, but there was a black dragon carved and painted into one side of the handle... and the Fairy Tail emblem on the other side. Gajeel pulled his own pistol off the holster on his belt to show her that her gun perfectly matched his. It was customized specifically so it would match his. So everyone that saw that gun would know who she was and who her husband was. Much like how her necklace and the tattoo on her shoulder did.

"You've been gettin really good on the range, shrimp. Figured a pistol your size would be better in helpin ya aim. Plus, it's pretty small, so ya can hide it anywhere." Gajeel explained, holstering his pistol and taking hers from her. He slid it into what Levy now realized was a holster on her thigh, clipping it in place securely before pulling her dress back down. You couldn't even tell it was there. He looked back up at his wife, and frowned upon seeing tears in the corners of her eyes. "Shit, Lev, did I fuck up? I know ya don't like em, but it's really important that ya have one and-"

"You big dummy, these are happy tears." Levy cut him off with a small giggle, throwing her arms around his shoulders with a big hug. "You're so sweet sometimes, Gajeel. First you buy me a suit and now a customized gun that matches yours? I really like it, Gajeel. I don't like that I need it, and I hope I never have to use it... but if I have to have one, then this one is the best I could ever have." Gajeel let out a soft sigh of relief at that. For a moment there he'd thought she was upset. "I've got the sweetest husband ever."

"Yeah, well don't be tellin no one. Got a reputation ta keep." Gajeel chuckled softly as he returned her embrace. Then he turned serious eyes to her. "I don't need to remind you, but I will. You be real careful with that pistol, Levy. It's loaded this time." He warned, to which she gave a firm nod of understanding. "The safety's on, but try not to let your leg hit anything, just in case. A bullet through the foot ain't fun, shrimp, trust me." Levy swallowed thickly at this and nodded. It did not sound fun one bit. "Misfires don't happen a lot, so don't worry too much. But do take it seriously, okay?"

"I-I understand." Levy nodded again, relaxing a bit. Gajeel grinned and placed a quick kiss to her neck before standing up again and straightening his tie.

"Alright, shrimp, let's get goin. The idiots should be done changing by now."

Sure enough, Jet and Droy had changed already. Levy found it odd to see them in such normal dress attire, considering they liked to dress to stand out. Unlike Gajeel, they wore khakis and a white dress shirt, but they still looked pretty nice and cleaned up. Natsu and Gray were in suits, though the wrinkles revealed they'd packed their suits into their bags. It wasn't horrible or anything, just noticeable, and they both looked a little embarrassed about it.

"Oh, Levy, are you joining us?" Droy asked as Levy and Gajeel came out of their room. He'd taken note of her dress instantly. Levy smiled and nodded, much to Jet and Droy's upset. They didn't like the idea of her in and kind of danger, and being involved in a war in any way certainly was dangerous, but they bit their tongues. She'd chewed them out enough that they knew they wouldn't get away with complaining about it.

"Let's go. They're probably all waitin for us." Gajeel took his wife's hand and started leading them off. Levy gave her husband a curious look and he smirked at her. "I've been here often enough. I know the way to their meeting room." he answered her unasked question. Sure enough, a minute later they were all walking into the meeting room, where Bob, Ichiya, Roubaul, and Sting and Rogue were all waiting.

"Look who's finally here. We've been here since sunrise, ya know." Sting commented with a laugh. Gajeel rolled his eyes at the Sabertooth leader.

"Che, you try keepin a train on schedule." Gajeel scoffed.

"A train? You guys seriously took the train? What, is Fairy Tail having money issues?" Sting mocked.

"It's called being inconspicuous." Surprisingly, it was Roubaul who said this, giving Gajeel a wide smile. "And it's rather smart. We must keep under Jude Heartfilia's radar if this plan is to work."

"Thank you, Roubaul." Gajeel grinned smugly, nodding to the old man.

"Alright, enough chit-chat." Sting scoffed. "How about some introductions? I ain't seen three of these people before, especially not the girl."

"That's his wife, idiot." Rogue elbowed his brother roughly. "You'd know that if you had gone with me to their wedding."

"Right." Gajeel coughed, getting their attention. He gestured to Levy. "This is my wife, Levy. These two idiots are the former leaders of the McGarden family. They've merged with Fairy Tail, but they've still got control over their members, and they're gonna help out with this Heartfilia stuff." Gajeel introduced his group. "These two are Sting and Rogue, the leaders of Sabertooth. Next to them is old man Roubaul, leader of Cait Shelter. He's Wendy's grandfather, Levy." he looked to his wife at that. "Then there's Ichiya and Don Bob of Blue Pegasus, which you've already met."

"Nice to meet you all." Levy gave a small bow, while Jet and Droy nodded politely.

"What a beautiful introduction." Bob smiled from the head of the table. "Now, please, kindly take a seat. I have a beautiful dinner waiting for us after the meeting, so let's get started, yes?" Everyone agreed to that. Gajeel sat by Rogue, Levy sitting next to him. Jet and Droy took their seats beside Bob and Levy, respectively. And then the final meeting in preparation for the war against Jude Heartfilia began.

* * *

So sorry for the late posting! Y'all can blame my boyfriend for that, making me wake up early and shit. Threw off my routine lol! So, sorry that this is kinda late. But hey, it is still Thursday!

Man, some of y'all are really hating on Jet and Droy. I know I'm making them out to be annoying but geez, I don't think I've put in any reason to hate them yet. Their hearts are in the right place. That's all that matters right?

Anyways, thanks again for reading, my lovely followers! Please tell me how you guys are liking this. I've got about ten chapters written up now, and working on more, so aside from the hectic week ahead, regular updates should continue to happen (at least until I hit another wall haha...)

Comment, Favorite, and Follow please!

Love,

-Nerdy12


	58. Revenge

**Chapter 58**

Gajeel was grinning like mad as he and Levy set about getting ready for bed that night. Why? Because he'd learned that Sting's bedroom was to one side of their, and Jet and Droy's bedroom was to another. And why was he happy about that? Oh... reasons...

The idiots had all irritated him today. Sting was a brash, cocky guy that thought he knew everything, and those two idiotic friends of Levy held the meeting up with pointless questions all day. Then all three of them had managed to insult Levy somehow over dinner, which didn't go down well with her. She'd chewed Jet and Droy out for insinuating that anyone had any kind of control over her life; Gajeel hadn't been listening, really, but they were known to make comments like that. As Sting laughed at the berated puppies, Levy turned her fury on him. Mafia boss or not, nobody got away with mocking her height except for Gajeel. She had a few choice expletives for him and a strong suggestion of where to shove his ego that had even Gajeel staring at her in shock. Of course, his shock had quickly turned to pride, and everyone else aside from Sting had dissolved into amused chuckles at Sting's expense.

The rest of dinner had been peaceful.

And now everyone was retiring to bed, and Gajeel had wonderful plans for his spitfire wife. He was killing two birds with one stone, really. He got to show his wife how much he loved seeing that fire in her eyes, and he was getting revenge on those three idiots. So, as Levy was changing out of her dress and into a nightgown, he crept up behind her, waiting until she was stripped to her panties before he attacked.

Levy squealed in surprise as her husband suddenly grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder. He practically dropped her on the bed, and she landed with a round of amused giggles. "Gajeel, you scared me!" she complained, but her giggling didn't stop. Gajeel just grinned and crawled over her, trailing his hands up her sides sensually.

"Good. I meant to." he chuckled as he began to kiss along her neck. She hummed happily as his hands cupped her perky breasts, teasing her tips with his fingers while he continued to kiss and suck at her neck. "How'd ya like to get some revenge, shrimp?" Gajeel grinned once he'd kissed a trail up to her ear. "Ya did get pretty insulted today, ya know."

"I did." she huffed softly, raising an eyebrow at her husband. "Revenge how?" Gajeel sat up slightly to give her a wicked grin.

"Oh, my shrimp, I've got the perfect plan." he chuckled darkly, his eyes ablaze with lust and mirth. "I'm gonna fuck you, good and _hard_... all fucking night long." He loved how she shivered pleasantly in anticipation at his words. "And yer not gonna hold those pretty screams back... _capisce_?"

* * *

Jet and Droy sat at the table the next morning with red faces, refusing to so much as look at Levy or Gajeel, who were seated on the other end of the table. They were talking and acting like normal, smiling and laughing as jokes went around the table. Sting was unusually silent, but he kept throwing glares at the couple as he sat by his brother.

"Do you think they know how loud they were?" Jet whispered to Droy, speaking at long last. Droy merely shrugged. Who knew?

"She almost sounded in pain." Droy muttered. "Do you think they're usually like that?"

"No clue. I don't know if I feel sorry for her or not."

"I'll lean on not. She's still kind of dazed, if you ask me." Indeed, Droy was right. Levy was talking as usual, but during the quiet moments her mind seemed to wander off, and then she would blush and snap back to reality, always stealing a glance at her husband as she did. Gajeel noticed it, too, and kept giving her smug grins which would only make her blush more. Based on that, there was no way she wasn't enjoying herself last night. It was just too bad it came at the expense of their sleep.

Across the table, Gajeel couldn't help but feel proud. His revenge plan had worked wonders, as all three of the idiots were absolutely silent today. Two of them could barely look at them, and one kept glaring daggers at him but otherwise said nothing. Another plus, Levy was still trying to process just how well she'd been fucked last night. Her mind was practically fried from pleasure by the time he let her get any sleep, and she'd had a tiny limp that morning. He was honestly amazed she was awake right now, with how exhausted she surely must be. Hell, even he was more tired than usual because of last night.

But it was so worth it, to see Sting silently fuming and the other two idiots silenced for once.

So worth it.

* * *

I tried to make a lemon... I really did. But it just didn't come out well with this chapter. Sorry guys, but I'm not gonna half-ass it with lemons just for the sake of adding one in. Besides, too many lemons take away from the story, itself. This isn't a lemon story, it's a mafia story. If you want lemons go read my Shots story.

Alright, that aside, some of y'all need to reread the last author note I left in the last chapter. I said I had about ten chapters written up. That does not mean that there are _only_ ten chapters left, and I even said I was working on more... c'mon at least read my notes all the way through...

Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed this short little chapter. Sorry it's short, but hey at least I got to update during finals week. Might not be able to update on Thursday, though, so sorry in advance.

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	59. Arch-7 Strategy

**Chapter 59**

Being behind the scenes in any kind of major conflict was definitely not Gajeel's style. He was a fighter. A killer. He wanted to be bringing the heat to Jude Heartfilia personally. He wanted to be the one to capture Cobra and finally get some answers about the Phantom Lord War. He wanted to be on the front lines with Natsu and Gray and everyone else that was currently bearing down on the Heartfilia estate.

But he was stuck in an office, instead.

There was a constant flow of people and information going through Gajeel's office. Reports coming in, questions on what to do next, how to handle certain situations, new developments, progress on the war. It was a lot. But Gajeel was somehow managing to keep track of everything and issue orders effectively.

So far, Fairy Tail had the advantage.

Jude Heartfilia had been banking on Fairy Tail attacking him like they'd attacked Phantom Lord. Gajeel switched it up, however. Instead of sneaking people on the inside and attacking in waves, this was a full out assault on all sides. All sides were covered, all routes of escape were blocked. They'd cut the power for the entire block around Jude's estate, keeping him from sending for backup. All Jude Heartfilia had was his small militia of personal guards, and they were barely holding them off.

You see, Jude Heartfilia was an excellent businessman. But he was terrible at war strategies. Fairy Tail were pros. Jude Heartfilia's biggest mistake was pissing them off. They always won. Even if they had to team up with former enemies.

Standing alone, Fairy Tail would have struggled to take Heartfilia down. He lacked numbers, but he had highly trained, elite soldiers under his employ. Their skill made up for their numbers, and fighting Fairy Tail alone, Jude Heartfilia may actually have had the advantage. But add in Blue Pegasus' numbers and Sabertooth's heavy hitters, as well as the additional support of Cait Shelter and the new Fairy Tail members from the McGarden family... Jude Heartfilia was getting overwhelmed. He'd been prepared for Fairy Tail to attack... but not for everyone else to join in. He really should stop making so many enemies.

Even though this war was going quite smoothly, there were still some snags. And it was still very dangerous for everyone that Heartfilia saw as a target. Lucy and her daughter had been moved into the mansion for their safety, and Levy... she was currently with his father in the don's office, the safest place in the mansion, in case of attack. Jude Heartfilia had assassins and snipers in his employ, as well, and there were already reports of some of the mansion guards being picked off outside. Until those assassins were taken care of, Fairy Tail base of operations was essentially under siege. Nobody went in or out of the mansion. Nobody went near windows or doors.

Still, Fairy Tail had been prepared for this. Guards were stationed by the generators at all times, as the power to the mansion had been cut, as well. The mansion doors were barricaded, windows had been boarded well before the war started, and there was enough food and fresh water stored up to last them over a month, feeding everyone there comfortably. Gajeel had a specialist team working on getting rid of the hidden assassins, too, so they would not be a threat for much longer.

For now, Gajeel was focusing completely on the attack on the Heartfilia estate. They had to get Cobra, at all costs, and that's what he was worried about the most. They needed the answers he could provide... and then they needed to kill him. He knew far too much, and he was obviously willing to sell what he knew. But so far nobody on the front lines had seen even a glimpse of him. He could, of course, be holed up with Jude Heartfilia, but Gajeel found that unlikely. Either the bastard had escaped again, or he was hiding somewhere in the estate.

He was likely hiding, and hoping that Fairy Tail would leave once they found Jude Heartfilia. Gajeel made sure that the ground team knew to search every nook and crevice of that estate for him, and to bring him in alive. If Cobra hadn't escaped before the fighting started, there was no way he could have escaped at all. Every escape route was blocked, even the underground tunnels, which they only knew about because of Lucy's info. That was how she'd escaped the estate, after all. So there was no escape for Cobra this time.

It was just a waiting game now.

* * *

Levy looked at the playing board with critical eyes, analyzing every move she could make and every move her opponent could make. It was tough, she was playing someone very skilled, after all. But she finally made her move, sacrificing a pawn to gain the upper hand, and she looked up at her opponent with a cheery smile.

"Check." she said happily. Don Metalicana gave a soft chuckle as he analyzed the board.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, little one. The game is not over." he smirked, reaching for his knight. One move later, he sat back with a triumphant smirk. "I do believe that is check mate." He laughed at her disbelieving eyes as she looked over the board, trying to figure out how he did that. "While you were busy trying to corner my king, you left your own king defenseless. An easy, yet fatal mistake." he advised, reaching for a cigar. His one vice.

"Gajeel would make that mistake all the time, you know." the don chuckled as he lit his cigar. He clearly remembered a ten year old Gajeel constantly getting frustrated over losing so easily. "He hated this game at first. Once he got into it, he got rather competitive. Would always rush in to try and take my king as quickly as he could. Left his own king defenseless."

"I can imagine him doing something like that." Levy giggled, listening intently to the don's words. She didn't hear about Gajeel's childhood often, especially not from his father.

"He always got so mad that he never won." Metalicana continued with an amused grin. "Of course, I never pointed out his mistakes. The boy needed to learn on his own. It was my way of teaching him tact." He explained, smiling at Levy's amused giggling. "He improved, of course, with time... but he kept leaving his king open and he kept losing."

"Did he ever fix that?" Levy asked curiously, and the don grinned at her.

"Eventually." he chuckled. "It was his mother that helped him figure it out... indirectly, of course. She knew the importance of him learning strategy and tactics, see." he explained to his daughter-in-law. "But a nudge in the right direction now and then wouldn't hurt, she figured. So she went to him one day, sat him down in front of a chess board, and held up the King, telling him to imagine it was her. I tell you, the boy changed tactics right away. Started focusing more on defending his king. But that backfired, too, you see, because I then picked off his forces until he had nothing left." the don laughed merrily as he recalled seeing Gajeel's shocked face. Levy couldn't help but giggle, trying to imagine what it must have been like. "It took him a while to find a balance, but he got the hang of it much faster after that."

"And now?" Levy smiled. "Who wins more often now?" The don just gave her a grin that told it all, as he was filled with as much pride as humanly possible.

"I haven't won a game against him in years."

* * *

Woo, another chapter is up! The war is on! Unfortunately, we are following Gajeel and Levy... so you guys get to see what a mob war is like behind the scenes. Not as exciting lol but I'll try to make it interesting.

Anyways, I know this is a few hours early, but I won't get to update tomorrow. I'll be packing and moving from my dorm all day. Gah, I hate this time of year. So much physical labor.

Just in case y'all didn't figure it out, the chess story was to show Gajeel's prowess in strategy.

Anyways, thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	60. Support

**Chapter 60**

Jude Heartfilia was under siege and holed up in his office. He scowled at the group of men standing before him, the leaders of the mercenaries that he'd hired to keep him and his property safe. They were the best of the best, the most highly trained soldiers he could hire... and they had failed him. They couldn't hold off these pests, and now they were all holed up in his estate with him, eating his food, sharing his space, breathing his air. If he didn't need them so much, he'd be done with the lot of them. Useless, is what they were.

Fairy Tail had shown up far sooner than he'd expected, and in far greater number. Cobra had either lied to him or been misinformed of their numbers and method of attack. They'd been prepared to handle intruders while a frontal assault was supposed to be distracting them. This put the majority of his soldiers inside the estate. When Fairy Tail showed up and assaulted them from all sides, they could do nothing more than retreat into the estate and hole up.

Fairy Tail was going to wait them out. Starve them out, if they must. They had cut the power to the entire block, though the backup generators solve this. But Fairy Tail was smart. It wasn't just the power that they cut. They cut the phone lines, they cut the water, they cut the internet cables... Jude Heartfilia may have electricity, but without the devices he needed to call for reinforcements, he was powerless. What's more, he'd recently sent his best assassins out, telling them to do what damage they could to Fairy Tail, and to not return unless they had his daughter, the don, the don's son, or the don's daughter-in-law in tow. The assassins, of course, were on radio silence for the duration of their mission... and had no way of knowing that the estate was under attack.

Damn Cobra, this was his fault! He gave him bad information, and now he was screwed! Jude Heartfilia was backed into a corner... and he NEVER got backed into a corner. He was at a loss as to what to do. Money wouldn't get him out of this situation. Fairy Tail made it clear that nothing short of his full surrender would do... and Jude Heartfilia was no idiot. He knew that if Fairy Tail got their hands on him, he would likely be killed. Fairy Tail didn't mess around... especially when they were pissed off. Jude realized this now.

He'd made a fatal mistake.

And now all he could do was wait.

* * *

"Give me an update." Gajeel ordered nobody in particular as he looked through his papers. There were about five other people in the room, two council members and three lieutenants that were currently being liaisons to different parts of the front line. Makarov sat near Gajeel, by the desk, looking over his paperwork with him to make sure nothing was missed. Igneel was relaying information that the lieutenants were not receiving.

"No movement from Heartfilia, sir. They're holed up." one lieutenant said.

"The underground tunnels have been collapsed, sir. Guards are stationed at each tunnel, just in case, the remaining members have rejoined the main ranks." another reported.

"Two of the snipers have been taken out, three remain." Igneel added his own report. "One of ours in the special unit is down, taken to the hospital. Should I send in a replacement?"

"No, we'll hold off on that." Gajeel dismissed. "Gildarts is a pro at this, they'll be fine. We need all the men we can afford to be here. Any report on how many rations Heartfilia's got? Should I send in supplies for our guys?"

"Heartfilia wasn't expecting to be feeding several dozen soldiers." Makarov commented. "He'll run out of food soon. Water, sooner. There are reports that they'd stopped firing on our people. Probably trying to conserve ammo."

"Good. Send whatever supplies our guys need, when they need it. Money is no issue." Gajeel nodded, his eyes never leaving the reports. "Word on the injured?"

"Most are pulling through with shots to limbs and such, all recovering at Magnolia Memorial." the last lieutenant reported. "We've lost two men to head wounds, and one to blood loss."

"Sad, but it could be worse." Gajeel paused at this and gave a small sigh. He hated losing their own men, but it was just a part of life for them. They all knew what living this life could mean, the risks they would have to take. "Make sure to send flowers to their families. Any children affected, set them up with a college fund, got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Bring any new reports to me immediately. Dismissed."

* * *

"Boy, get some rest. I've got night duty covered." Gajeel looked up as his father walked into his office. Gajeel frowned and shook his head, shooing his father away. Metalicana only scoffed at him.

"Ya can't go on like this for much longer, boy. When's the last time you got any sleep?"

"I can sleep when the war is over."

"It's been a week now. Yer gonna start slippin, making big mistakes at this rate." the don shook his head with a sigh. "Look, boy, I know how it is ta be in your shoes. Worried for the family, trying to make sure you win a war, trying to keep the ones you love safe. I did this exact thing when we forced out Phantom Lord." Metalicana explained. "And I slipped, boy. People died because of my decision, which I made while having been awake for three days straight." He watched as Gajeel took in the gravity of his words. "I didn't have help or support back then. My old man was long dead. Yours ain't. There's no shame in accepting help... even if it's just keeping things together while you get some sleep."

Gajeel didn't respond, as he was busy taking in his father's words. He knew he was right, of course... but there was so much to do, still, and this was his job. How would he be a good don if he couldn't handle a war on his own?

"Boy, this family needs you. They need you to be able to make the right call. They need you to keep them safe." Metalicana said firmly. "You can't do that if yer not taking care of yourself, too. This ain't about doin it all on your own. It's about the family. Everything is about the family."

"You're... right." Gajeel took a deep breath and looked up at his father.

"Of course I'm right." the don merely chuckled at his son. "I've been at this game for too long, boy. You've still got a lot to learn." Then he gave a soft sigh and nodded his head towards the door. "Go sleep, boy."

Gajeel didn't need to be told again. He was exhausted, physically and mentally, from this war. So he gave his father a nod of appreciation, then went to get some greatly needed sleep.

Lily was sitting in their living room when Gajeel returned to the suite, making sure he could hear Levy in case anything happened. He gave Gajeel a friendly nod when he came in.

"How is she?" Gajeel asked tiredly. He knew he probably had bags under his eyes and looked like a wreck. Damn, he needed some sleep.

"She's fine. Might have cabin fever, though." Lily gave a soft chuckle. Gajeel only nodded at this before nodding his head towards the door.

"Go sleep, Lil. We'll be fine tonight. The attackers are regrouping for the time being." Gajeel sighed. Lily just nodded and walked to the door, giving Gajeel an encouraging pat on the shoulder as he passed.

"You're gonna be one great Don, you know. Everyone can see that."

"That so?"

"Of course. Your father's extremely proud, even if he doesn't say it to your face." Lily grinned. "Levy says that he won't shut up about you." This made Gajeel smile a bit. His old man was really that proud of him? Mavis, hearing that almost felt like a weight was lifted off of him.

"Thanks, Lil. Needed ta hear that after all this." Gajeel sighed heavily as the weariness settled on him yet again. "Go rest up. Tomorrow's probably gonna be a big day." Lily nodded and left this time, and Gajeel went into the bedroom. Their bedroom was the most fortified, when it came to the windows. Wooden boards weren't good enough, so thick metal sheets had been set up, welded around the outside of the windows. They could be cut down after the war but, for now, they were a permanent fixture. Anything to keep the next don and his wife safe.

Levy was sleeping peacefully on their bed, a small smile on her lips as she had happy dreams. Gajeel smiled down at her for a moment before he changed, stripping down to his boxers. He crawled into bed behind her, pulling her flush against him. He placed a few kisses along her neck and shoulder as he splayed his hand out over her stomach. No child was there yet, at least not to their knowledge yet, but he knew how badly Levy wanted to be a mother. He wanted to be a father, too. Still, he was glad he had convinced her to stop trying _so_ hard... he wanted things to settle down some before they had any children. That way they would be safe, and he would have time to be in their lives rather than spending all day in his office. Once things were peaceful, he promised to himself that they would definitely double down on trying for the baby.

"Gajeel..." Levy's sleepy voice came as she stirred. She turned in his arms to face him, giving him a sleepy smile. "You're really here..." She said happily as she snuggled into his chest. He smiled a bit and held her close. His wife had missed him this past week. He knew she would, but he knew she would understand why he was so busy. He placed a few more gentle kisses to her neck, fully intent to cuddling her and going to sleep... but she gave a cute little moan and subtly rubbed her legs together, revealing that she'd missed him in more ways than one.

***Lemony Goodness***

"Levy, are you wet?" Gajeel grinned against her ear. Mavis, he should be sleeping right now. His body was begging him to sleep. But his wife needed him, and what harm was there in taking care of her problem? And Levy's nod only confirmed that she desperately missed his touch. Levy moaned softly when Gajeel silently slid his hand into her panties, placing more kisses along her neck. As he teased her with his fingers, he couldn't help but grin. "So fucking wet. I should fix that, huh?" he chuckled into her ear.

The next thing she knew, he'd rolled over to be on top of her, and he was kissing her hungrily. Levy kissed him back eagerly, letting her hands roam over his broad chest as he pulled at her tank top, pushing it up to her shoulders and exposing her perky breasts. He tore himself from her lips to attack those delicious peaks of hers with his mouth and fingers, loving her beautiful moans and mewls. Levy pulled her tank top the rest of the way off, then started pushing his boxers down his hips, using her feet as best as she could. Gajeel grinned at his eager wife, sitting up a bit to kick off the offending clothes. He quickly pulled her delicate panties off, tossing them aside while his wife happily trailed her hands down his chest toward her prize.

Gajeel groaned as her tiny hands wrapped around him and began to stroke him. He let her do as she pleased for a minute, enjoying having her hands on him. But he quickly realized that if she finished him this way, they wouldn't be doing much else tonight. He'd be way too fucking exhausted. So he grabbed her wrists and pinned them beside her head, grinning down at her surprised expression as he took a moment to collect himself. Moving both of her hands to be pinned above her head with just one of his, he let his freed hand trail down her curvy body. Levy moaned beautifully as he slid two fingers into her core and began to pump them in and out. He listened to her moans and mewls with a pleased grin, loving the cute expressions crossing her face as he pleasured her. And then she tensed up with a beautiful cry of his name, and Gajeel could only groan as the sound just made him even harder.

As Levy was coming down from her high, Gajeel released her hands and pulled her legs up around his waist. They both moaned as he slid right into her with practiced ease, filling her in one smooth thrust. Mavis, it had only been a week, but that was far too long for them both. Gajeel kissed his wife like there was no tomorrow as he set a brisk pace that had them both panting and on the edge very quickly. Gajeel knew he wasn't going to last long tonight, but he was determined to make his wife cum for him before he gave in. He pulled one of her legs over his shoulder, and that was it for her. Two thrusts later and she was crying his name in pure bliss. Her walls tightening around him like a vice forced him to cum, as well, and he buried his face in her shoulder as he spilled into her with a low groan.

"Fuck, Levy..." Gajeel panted against her hair, staying inside of his little wife as they both came down from their highs. As the pleasure left him and his body relaxed, he began to feel the heavy weight of his exhaustion once more. Looking up at Levy's face, he could see the sleepiness filling it once again. It was definitely time to get some sleep. Gajeel kissed her sweetly before withdrawing from her warmth, earning a soft mewl from her. She turned and cuddled into his arms as he moved to lay beside her.

"I love you." she whispered quietly against his chest. Gajeel grinned and kissed her temple as he held her close.

"I love you, too, Levy." he returned gently. "Now go to sleep. We both need it."

* * *

Guys, you got no idea how hard it was to get to a computer to put this out for y'all. Today has been ridiculous. I wanted to tidy up the ending a bit, but I couldn't even get around to that. Sorry guys!

Thanks for reading, like always! Please tell me what you think!

-Nerdy12


	61. Fate

**Chapter 61**

Jude Heartfilia threw his glass against the wall with an angry shout. The leader of the mercenaries he'd hired just stared at him with a firm look, unfazed by the enraged businessman who had no more power to his name. This was the end of an empire. Jude Heartfilia was a great businessman, one of the best, and therefore one of the most powerful people in the country. But he'd finally made the wrong enemy.

"Sir, must I repeat myself?" the leader asked calmly. He'd been in this game too long, he knew where this was going. They were running low on ammo and food... and now their water rations were almost gone. They wouldn't last another two days, not with the amount of soldiers in the estate. This was a siege, a well-planned one. Fairy Tail always won. "You need to surrender, or we are all going to die."

"I'm not paying you to give me orders!" Jude shouted in a rage. His hair was a mess, his clothes ragged, and there were heavy bags under his eyes. He'd not slept a wink since the war - no, siege - began. "I'm paying you to take care of this! And what did you do?! You got us trapped in here!"

"YOU got us trapped in here, listening to that shady informant." the merc rolled his eyes. When the fighting had started, Jude had ordered them all to stay near or inside the estate, having been expecting an attack from the inside like Cobra had informed him might happen. Of course, that led to their forces retreating into the estate under pressure, where they were now holed up and losing rations quickly. "I tried to dissuade you, sir, but you listened to the rat instead. And where is he now?"

"Silence!"

"No!" the man shouted, now angry, himself. "I will not be silenced. This mess is your fault! Fairy Tail wants your head, and they're going to get it. And I'm not going down with you. My men aren't going down with you. We are leaving. Mavis have mercy on your soul." With that, the mercenary turned and stormed out of the room to collect his men. Jude could only watch in horror as his last line of defense abandoned him. With the soldiers gone, Fairy Tail would march right in here...

...and he would die.

* * *

The mansion was busy today. More than it had been this whole war, anyways. Guards were running back and forth, and council members were all over the place. Levy couldn't find the Don or Gajeel anywhere, so she had decided to get a meal in the kitchen while she waited.

"Levy!" a familiar voice called out to her as she walked into the kitchen. Levy looked up right as Lucy attacked the younger woman with a huge hug. "They got him! They got him!" Levy couldn't tell if Lucy was cheering or sobbing or both as she returned the embrace.

"Your father?"

"Yes! They got him!" Lucy pulled back slightly, and Levy could see tears in the blonde's eyes. But she was smiling. "They got him alive. They're interrogating him now..."

"Is that where Gajeel disappeared to?" Levy hummed before turning cautious eyes to her friend. "How do you feel about this, Lucy? He... he is your father..."

"The man he is today is not my father." Lucy said firmly. "When I was little, he was the best dad. I love that man. But this man is not him. This man is cold and heartless and evil and he only cares about himself and his money." She took a moment to breath before continuing. "He hasn't been my father in a very long time, Levy. As soon as I turned fourteen, he was trying to marry me off to some investor that would make him a lot of money. The guy was three times my age... Father didn't listen to reason, didn't back down. He locked me in my room until the wedding."

"H-how did you escape?" Levy asked, captivated by the story. Lucy had never told her the full reason why she'd left Heartfilia Estate and came to Fairy Tail.

"I told a maid I was starving, and that I really wanted to make myself something to eat, because I didn't trust the cook not to poison it. We had a bad relationship, and it was well known." Lucy told her. "I begged her to take me to the kitchen. When we got there, I knocked her out with a frying pan. The kitchen had an entrance to the underground tunnels, so I fled that way. By the time anyone realized I was gone, I had hopped on a train and made it to Magnolia. The first person I ran into was Natsu." she gave a small laugh at that as she remembered it. "He was on his first solo job, and I accidentally tripped into the alley he was waiting for his target in. He abandoned his job and helped me up, and Mavis I was in love the moment our eyes met." She sighed happily.

"That's so sweet." Levy giggled.

"And then he opened his mouth and ruined it." Lucy giggled, making Levy laugh along with her. She could see Natsu doing something like that. Lucy suddenly turned curious eyes to Levy, and gave a wicked grin. "Alright, Levy-chan. Your turn."

"Eh?"

"Tell me how you and Gajeel met. Nobody knows, and nobody can figure it out. All I've found is that one day he went to pick you up from your apartment to meet the don, and you just kind of stayed after that." Lucy explained, giving Levy an expecting look.

"U-um well, I'm not sure if Gajeel would want me to say." Levy tried to dissuade her, but she pressed on.

"He's not here, and he doesn't have to know."

"T-that's a dangerous line of thinking." Levy pointed out but, at Lucy's unamused look, she gave a heavy sigh. "I was on my way home from work, and I heard some noise coming from an alley. I found him there. He'd been shot, and he was bleeding badly." Levy explained as she pressed her fingers together. "I helped him to my apartment, got the bullet out, and let him stay the night. He told me I was under his protection, and wanted me to meet the Don. While I was here, the guy that was after Gajeel set fire to my apartment, so I moved in with Gajeel and you know the rest." She shrugged. Lucy had literally come into the scene the next day.

"Wow, I had no idea what to expect, but I really wasn't expecting that." Lucy said in awe. "Gajeel actually got shot. How bad was it?"

"Bad." Levy sighed, remembering that night. "He would have bled out if I didn't help him... or whoever was after him would have found him."

"Did you know who he was?"

"I had no clue." Levy shook her head. "I... I knew he was from Fairy Tail. I saw the emblem on his gun." It was the same gun she now had a smaller copy of, in fact. The Fairy Tail emblem had been facing up... but she hadn't seen the black dragon etched into the other side that night. If she had... maybe she would have fled in terror, left him be like he told her to. She was glad she didn't. "He... he told me who he was after I treated him."

"Bet that was a shock. I didn't know Natsu was part of Fairy Tail until I sought out the Don to ask if I could join... and he was there." Lucy smiled a bit. "He put in a good word for me with the Don, not that I needed it. Metalicana needed everyone he could get, because he was preparing to go to war with Phantom Lord, to push them out of the city. He was even accepting runaway teenagers like me, as long as he felt they were capable and useful. Natsu was the one that trained me, taught me how to shoot and other things. We started dating shortly after the war. Have been together since, obviously."

"Obviously." Levy repeated with a giggle. "Ne, where is Kasai, by the way?"

"Oh. Natsu's got her. He was out fighting at the estate, you know, and he just got back. Wanted some Kasai cuddles."

"How cute." Levy giggled happily at this. He was such a good dad. Levy wondered if Gajeel would be like that with their own children one day.

"Oh, there ya two are." Speaking of Gajeel, he just walked into the kitchen in search of his wife, missing his suit jacket and wearing his sleeves rolled up. Levy knew why. It was the typical way he dressed for "interrogations." Kept the blood from staining his clothes too much. "Oi, there's gonna be a meeting in like ten minutes. Y'all both need to come with me. It's time to decide his fate."

* * *

Sorry for the repeated info, but a refresher of everything is good here and there, right? Anyways, I'm posting this a day early because I'm going to be insanely busy tomorrow. You're welcome XD

Thanks for reading! Comment, please! I want feedback!

-Nerdy12


	62. Strength

**Chapter 62**

Jude Heartfilia looked outside his cell. No, he glared outside his cell at all the people gathered around him like he was some sort of an exhibit. It was mostly men, he'd noticed. Don Metalicana, of course, and his son... Jude recognized those two. There were some others that Jude could only guess were higher-ups. And then... there were two women. A very short blue-haired woman standing next to Gajeel, who Jude guessed was the McGarden girl that had married into the Redfoxes. And finally... his eyes landed on the tall, slender blonde that was standing next to a pink-haired man.

Jude had barely recognized his daughter when he first saw her. It had been years. Well over a decade - nearly two, in fact - and his daughter would be turning thirty soon, if he remembered right. She was a beautiful woman now... she looked so much like her mother that it was almost painful for Jude to look at her. It didn't help that her eyes were so cold as she looked at him... so he looked elsewhere.

His eyes landed on Gajeel Redfox again. He looked extremely different than he'd used to, than the last time Jude had seen him. His long wild hair was cut short. That alone drastically changed how he looked. But there was also the way he held himself... that had changed. He stood tall and strong and unmoving, like steel. His jaw was set firmly in place and he held himself like a true leader should. Completely unlike the brash, cocky youngster Jude was used to seeing. That Gajeel had been but a boy... this one was a grown man, a leader... the next Don of this family. He'd finally grown into his role. That made him extremely dangerous... especially to Jude. He could have figured something out if he could have identified any kind of weakness in the man. As it was, the man's only weakness was the little woman at his side...

And she was not weak.

No, Jude could see it in her eyes. She was not weak. He knew from reports that she was very new to this lifestyle, and he'd expected her to be scared and helpless. But Jude could see determination in her eyes. She stood close to her husband, yes, but it was not out of fear. Her eyes were firm and determined, and her stance was relaxed. She was used to stuff like this now. She wouldn't be phased by seeing his death. Jude couldn't use that to his advantage, either.

"Stop trying to look for a way out of this, Jude." it was the Don who finally broke the silence. "I've seen you scoping everyone out. That's so like you. Unfortunately, there's no escape this time, old friend."

"Then get with it, already." Jude scoffed, turning his attention to the Don. He'd aged since Jude last saw him. Metalicana used to be so strong and proud. He still was, but time was wearing him down. Wrinkles and achy bones afflicted the powerful man. His smoking habit turned his voice deeper and more gravelly. He still stood tall and strong, of course, but Jude could almost see the weight of his burdens bearing down on him. The man was tired. Exhausted. Ready to step down and let a younger, stronger man lead. It was obvious to Jude that Gajeel would become the next Don very soon. "You know how busy my schedule is."

"Ah, don't worry about yer schedule, Jude. Yer gonna be gettin that cleared." Metalicana smirked. Jude could only remain silent. Well, it was true. He couldn't be busy if he was dead and, if the don's words meant anything, he really would be dead soon. In a few minutes, even, considering how many people were gathered here. "I ain't gonna have ya killed just yet." Metalicana's words had Jude looking at him in shock.

"And why is that?"

"I have my reasons." the don smirked. "But it's been decided. Yer gonna stay alive fer now. Killin ya won't teach ya a lesson. You'd probably like it in Hell, anyways."

"Then... what are you going to do with me?" Jude was baffled. They went through all this trouble to get him... and they weren't going to kill him?

"Well, yer gonna turn over everything to yer daughter, here, first of all." Metalicana nodded towards Lucy. "And then... yer gonna spend yer nice long holiday here in yer cell until we decide what yer fate will be. For all intents and purposes... yer a dead man, Jude. The world thinks ya burned down with yer estate, and it's gonna stay that way." He paused to let Jude take that in. "And finally, yer gonna be answering some questions my boy has fer ya." He nodded towards Gajeel, who gave him a cold grin and cracked his knuckles. _That's right_ , Jude thought as he paled, _Gajeel was the family's go-to interrogator, after all... Mavis help me..._

* * *

It didn't take long for everything to be finished and done with. Jude was more than willing to sign over everything he owned to his daughter once Gajeel was done with him. As for the 'questioning,' well, he sang like a bird once the pain started. It was pathetic, really, how fast he was to spill the beans. Unfortunately for him, some of his answers only pissed Gajeel off. The man was broken by the time Gajeel left the cell, barely able to hold a pen to sign everything away.

* * *

Gajeel slammed his fist into the wall angrily as he walked back into his office after the interrogation, startling the three people that were waiting for him. Levy was waiting in his office with Jet and Droy, who were keeping her company while she waited for her husband. She turned concerned eyes to Gajeel as he walked into the office.

"Gajeel, what's wrong?"

"Cobra was gone before we even attacked." Gajeel growled, moving to sit at his desk. "Damn bastard sold Heartfilia information for a ticket out of the country. He's long gone and probably in Bosco by now."

"What's the big deal with this one person?" Jet asked. He'd heard talk of 'Cobra' before, but he had no clue who he was or why he was important.

"He's got the answers to the questions we got." Gajeel scoffed.

"When Phantom Lord abducted me, they were being led by a man named Brain. Cobra was his right hand man. With Brain dead, Cobra's the only one with any answers." Levy added when she saw their confusion.

"You said... Brain?" Jet and Droy's eyes went wide when they heard that name. Levy and Gajeel gave them surprised looks as they seemed to know who that was. "Old guy, really tall, a lot of face tattoos?"

"Y-eah... you... know who that is?" Levy asked.

"Y-yeah. He... tried to take over the McGarden family after your parents died, Levy." Jet explained. "Claimed he was the only true leader left, as he was the closest living relative to our leaders."

"He didn't get very far with that, because nobody knew him, and he was related to your mother, not your father... who was the leader." Droy added. "He left when he realized nobody wanted him there."

"Do y'all have any idea why he might go after Levy?" Gajeel sat up and asked them firmly. "He really wanted her alive fer some reason."

"That... might be because he wanted to have the McGarden family. If he'd brought Levy to us... we might have actually let him lead us. I mean, he would have brought back our heiress, after all. He would have been a hero to the family." Jet said thoughtfully. "Why do you think we were so desperate to get Levy to go back with us, at first? Everyone there still views the McGardens as the real leaders, so having the heiress back would have settled all the infighting and everyone would have rallied around her and whoever returned her to us." Droy was nodding as Jet spoke.

"Even if I was returned against my will, taken from my life and my family?" Levy asked with wide eyes, to which Jet and Droy hesitated in responding before giving defeated sighs.

"To be honest... yes..." Droy admitted ashamedly. "We... we were so desperate, and had been for a while. If someone had shown up with you in tow, no matter how they got a hold of you..."

"We would have done anything to keep the family together." Jet ended with a sigh. "And your presence... it would have been a rallying point for the family."

"I would have just been a mascot and a prisoner, from what you're saying." Levy blanched while Gajeel narrowed his eyes angrily at them. They'd really do that to someone they thought was their friend? Just use her?! No matter that she was abducted, taken from her fiance, and injured on the way?! Jet and Droy just lot a lot of respect in his books... not that they had much to start with. And here he was actually starting to like them. Just a bit.

"You need to leave." Gajeel's voice was cold and harsh, and it made them stiffen in fear as they turned nervous eyes to the future don. Even Levy was surprised by the coldness in his voice, and she looked to her husband in surprise. He was glaring at Jet and Droy as if they'd offended him personally. And why not? They might as well have, considering how they would have treated his wife back then. Jet opened his mouth to speak, but Gajeel cut him off. "Leave. Now. Just lookin at ya is pissin me off right now."

"Gajeel-" Levy protested, but Jet put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Levy. We get it, and you both have every right to be angry. I won't apologize, because we can't change how we would have acted in the past. But I will say that we would never ever think of betraying you that way now." He swore, while Droy nodded eagerly. Levy didn't know what to say to that, so she merely mutely nodded and let them walk off. As the door shut, she looked back at Gajeel, but his eyes were covered in shadows. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his jaw was clenched. He looked royally pissed.

"Ga...jeel?" she asked timidly, but he just sat there, stewing in his anger for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"They're fuckin lucky yer here right now, Levy." he finally said, turning sharp eyes to his wife. "Cause I was about ta beat the shit outta them."

"Gajeel..." Levy frowned, walking towards her husband. He was quick to pull her into his arms once she was within reach of him.

"They would have _used you_ , Levy." he grit his teeth at the thought. "Held ya prisoner and fucking used you like some puppet. Woulda let Brain take over yer whole family and do as he pleased. Who's to say he wouldn't have killed ya once he got what he wanted?"

"He might have." Levy agreed quietly, feeling Gajeel's grip tighten on her.

"Fuck, Levy, I would move heaven and earth to get you back and keep you safe." he told her seriously, pulling back to look her in the eye. "I would do whatever it took, as long as you would be in my arms again. But I ain't a wizard, Levy. I can't use magic, and I can't bring ya back from the _dead_." His voice cracked a bit at that, and Levy could see the emotions swirling in his crimson eyes. Anger, love... fear. "I can't lose you, Levy. If Brain had gotten what he wanted from ya... I know he woulda killed ya. And those two... _they_ would have let it happen! And dammit, Levy, I oughta kill em just fer potentially being associated!"

"But-"

"I won't!" he interrupted with a heavy breath. "I won't, shrimp. I won't." he swore. "But, fuck it all, I'm so mad right now. You need to tell them to stay far fucking away from me for a good long time." Levy could only nod and hold onto her husband, letting him vent all he needed so he could calm down. She was upset, too. Her own friends would have used her. Brain would have killed her... and they would have been as much to blame as Brain was for her death. She could understand how, in desperation, they would do anything they could to survive... but at the cost of someone else's life? An innocent's life, no less? Gajeel wasn't the only one Jet and Droy should avoid for a while. It would take a good while before the husband and wife would be able to tolerate looking at them again.

Jet and Droy had a long road of repentance and recovery ahead of them at this rate.

Meanwhile, Brain was laughing it up in hell.

* * *

So, posting this from my phone cause I'm in the hospital waiting on a family member's surgery (nothing big, don't worry). Sorry if I missed any spelling or format stuff, I will fix it later.

Thanks for reading, like always. Please please tell me what you guys think. I got more planned for these two, obviously, but their fates have yet to be decided, and your comments really help determine the flow of this story.

Thanks again!

-Nerdy12


	63. Therapy

**Chapter 63**

Jude Heartfilia was in hell. This had to be it, right? He was sleeping on a thin mat on the floor, covered with a tattered blanket that did little against the cold. He was starving, having only been fed what he could only describe of as pig's food (which was actually some bread, grilled chicken, and an apple), which he'd refused to touch. He was an upper class elite, used to the finest living arrangements and food known to man! This was a disgrace! This was hell!

What's worse was the solitude. He was alone down here, in his cell. His only human interaction was when a guard brought food twice a day. Food he found too disgusting for his elite palate to experience... served to him by some lackey he didn't view as worthy enough to even look at. He was used to having little human interaction, as he was quite the loner... but the extreme solitude was driving him crazy. He was talking to himself just to hear a human's voice.

Yes... this had to be what hell was like... right?

"Geez, you're pathetic if something as little as this is hell to you." a feminine voice scoffed, startling Jude into looking at the cell door. For a second he thought he was looking at his dead wife and seeing things.

"Layla?"

"Wrong." Lucy snapped, rolling her eyes at her father as she crossed her arms over her chest. "This is sad. It's only been three days and you're down here muttering like you've lost your mind and claiming this is hell."

"Like you've ever been a prisoner." Jude found the words coming from his mouth without a thought. The anger lighting up in Lucy's eyes quickly reminded him of his sins...

"Oh, really? Being locked in my room at the age of fourteen, waiting to be married to someone three times my age against my will? That sure isn't something a prisoner would experience. Or how about never being allowed off the estate? Being beaten or humiliated for simple screw-ups every child will do? Being denied access to see my own mother while she was on her death bed?!" Lucy shouted in rage, stomping her foot on the ground as tears poured from her eyes. "Cause _every_ young girl goes through all that, surely! Right?!" Jude could only flinch back and cower from her rage.

"What right have you to complain about your situation now?! You put me through real hell for fourteen years! This?! This is _nothing_!" she seethed, pointing her finger at her cowering father, who could only stare at her in shock and fear. "You're cold? Boo-hoo. You're hungry? Fuck you and your pretentiousness. You're being fed. It's your own fault you're not eating! You're lonely? Try being abandoned by your only surviving parent. Try being never allowed to make friends. Try being locked in your room for three months straight while waiting to marry a stranger!"

"I-"

"No! You don't _get_ to speak right now!" Lucy snapped. "I've got two decades worth of shit to get out, so you'd better keep your mouth shut until I'm done. It's fucking family therapy time, _Dad_!"

* * *

Yeah, this is the shortest chapter so far. Sorry. But it was so much anger all packed into one. Plus the last chapter was an angry one, at the end. Besides, Lucy and Jude deserve a chapter together, at least once. And this won't be the last time they talk, promise.

Once again, updating from my phone, so sorry if there are typos. Please point them out and I will try to fix them.

Also, please comment! I miss hearing from my lovely readers!

Thanks for Reading!

-Nerdy12


	64. The Crown

**Chapter 64**

It was a big day for Fairy Tail. Bigger than Gajeel and Levy's wedding, for sure. While much of the family had missed _their_ big day... nobody in the family dared to miss this one. The city practically shut down for it, though nobody outside the family understood why. There was no television broadcast, either, for those that couldn't make it... because everyone made this event their priority.

Everyone.

Nobody would dare miss today. It was considered high treason in the family to miss today... and high treason was punishable by death. No exceptions. No excuses.

Usually, the mafia was all about secrecy and silence. But Fairy Tail was a very special family. Something like this... there was no holding back the celebrations. There was no abstaining from the parties and the jubilees. Alcohol flowed freely throughout the city, as everyone celebrated their new leader.

Don Gajeel Redfox of Fairy Tail.

There was a ceremony, of course. A passing of the crown from father to son, so to speak, while everyone in the family was gathered around to watch. They took up an entire city block, filling it with family members who were eager to witness the ceremony. Gajeel and Metalicana stood on a raised platform where everyone could see, not worried about snipers despite the crowd, as the family's guards were on every rooftop and monitoring every floor of every building around them. Levy stood next to her husband dutifully, trying so hard not to faint from the sheer number of people that were staring at them.

A single hand motion had the masses silenced in seconds. Thousands of pairs of eyes focused on the platform. Metalicana took an old pocket watch from his coat and looked it over. It bore the Fairy Tail crest on one side, and the motto on the other. He read it aloud to the silenced family, who waited eagerly to hear him speak.

"IF," the first word echoed over the crowd as the don gave a brief pause, "it is to protect our family... be it the Kingdom or the _entire world,_ " he paused aain to let everyone contemplate the gravity of this statement, "we would make anyone our enemy. _That_ is what it means to be Fairy Tail." He finished the quote and turned to face his son. "My boy, my _son_ , I know you understand the gravity of these words. You still have many things to learn, things I cannot teach, but I know you are ready. You are the one who will protect and lead this family from now on. _You_ are the one who will make enemies and allies to keep our family safe. And you will do _one hell_ of a good job of it. I'm sure of that." He paused, and gave his son a rare, genuine smile. His eyes twinkled with happiness. "My son, I am so proud of you." he declared in front of everyone, his voice holding the sound of a proud and happy father. Gajeel looked awed at the fact his father had said that to his face, and especially said it loud enough for the entire family to hear. In a much louder, authoritative voice, the current Don spoke again. His voice practically shook the ground as it echoed throughout the masses.

"Gajeel Redfox!" the loudness of his voice snapped Gajeel from his awestruck state, and he turned serious eyes to his father. This was it. "I relinquish my title of Don of Fairy Tail, and bestow it upon you. This watch has only been held by the current Don of Fairy Tail. By accepting it, you accept your new role, and all the burdens and struggles that come with it. All the duties, obligations, and danger that come with it. By accepting it, you agree to protect the family no matter the cost, no matter the enemy. You would make the world your enemy if it was to protect the family. By accepting it, you become the new Don of Fairy Tail." Metalicana announced loudly, holding out the watch in his hand. The whole family held their breath as they watched intently. "Gajeel Redfox! Do. You. Accept?" There was no pause from Gajeel. No hesitation. He answered the moment his father was silenced.

"I accept! I accept this watch. I accept my position as leader of this family, all the responsibilities and danger, and I swear to protect the family no matter the cost. I. Accept." Gajeel announced firmly, reaching forth and taking the watch from his father. The family erupted into loud cheers as he held the watch high and faced the crowd.

Gajeel was officially the Don of Fairy Tail.

* * *

Gajeel chuckled in amusement as he carried his little wife back to their suite after the celebrations. She was positively intoxicated, having been dragged off with Lucy and Cana for a while. Lily followed dutifully to keep an eye on his charge while Gajeel was surrounded by people constantly congratulating him. He was a bit buzzed, himself, and still riding high as he thought about what just happened.

He was the Don now. All his life, he'd been groomed for this position. He just thought he'd be much older when he got it... unless his old man got killed somehow. And yet, here he was. His old man had stepped down and passed the torch. Willingly. He thought Gajeel was ready, even at this age... that was the greatest compliment Gajeel had ever gotten from Metalicana. His recognition and approval. His pride as a father. It was nice.

"Everything's spinning..." Levy whined in his arms, burying her face in his chest as he carried her. Gajeel only laughed at his pitiful wife.

"Ya really are a lightweight, shrimp. Two drinks to get drunk?" It had, indeed, only taken a few drinks to get her this way. She had wanted to stick to beer or wine, like everyone else. But Cana insisted on giving her something more potent. A 'sex on the beach' and a whiskey sour later, and Levy was having trouble staying on her feet. By then, Gajeel had managed to get away from all the people wanting to congratulate him and, seeing his wife's state and who she was drinking with, he'd promptly rescued her.

"I'm not... drunk." she mumbled out with a small hiccup. "Drunk me is different."

"How so?" Gajeel smirked. He had to admit, if she was drunk, she wouldn't be talking as well as she was. But she was definitely more intoxicated than he'd ever seen her.

"I get... laughy? What's the word..." Levy whined as she couldn't think of the right word. "Bubbly... everything makes me laugh."

"Ah. And yer not laughin right now, so yer not drunk?" Gajeel chuckled as Levy nodded against his chest. They finally made it to their suite, and he carried her towards their bedroom. "Well yer still pretty buzzed if ya ask me. How bout we just go to sleep?" He was surprised when she shook her head.

"I don't wanna sleep yet." she protested with a cute pout.

"Then what do ya wanna do?" He raised a studded brow at her. His eyes widened a bit when he felt her playing with the buttons of his dress shirt, and he quickly realized what she wanted. "Shrimp, neither of us is sober..."

"So?" was her rebuttal. So, indeed. "Let's celebrate."

"We've been celebratin." he pointed out, but she continued unbuttoning his shirt. She got a few undone and her lips found their way to his chest. Images of where those lips could be instead, what they could be doing, flashed through his mind and he groaned. He was so tempted to just say yes... but he shook his head to snap out of it. As the more sober of the two, he should be the voice of reason... right?

"Yer not thinkin straight."

"I know what I'm doing." she said simply, looking up at him with wide hazel eyes. "I'm your wife, Gajeel. It's not like you're taking advantage of me. Please..." She batted those eyes and he just couldn't say no.

So he didn't say no. His wife wanted him, he needed her. That was enough.

* * *

Levy moaned softly as she was pulled into the waking world. Her mouth was dry, and she was parched. She felt sweaty and sticky and sore and... so fucking relaxed. There was that post-great-sex bliss about her, where she was sore but satisfied and happy all at once. She could feel Gajeel's arms around her, holding her close, his body keeping her warm despite the blankets being kicked to the ground at some point last night. She sighed happily and relaxed in his arms. Water could wait, a shower could wait. Right now, she was content to be in her husband's arms.

Sweet Mavis, Gajeel hadn't held back last night. It was round after round of pure bliss until they both succumbed to sleep at some forsaken hour that morning. Oh, she was going to have a limp, she just knew it. But it was sooo worth it. Even now, just the flashbacks were making her squirm and moan.

"That good, huh?" Gajeel's husky voice whispering against her ear startled her just a bit. She felt his arms tighten around her, pulling her flush against his chest, and she felt something wonderfully hot and hard press against her ass as he did. "Same here, shrimp." he grinned, biting teasingly at her ear. "Fuck, I wanna keep ya in bed all day. But I bet yer sore... and I have ta get ta work."

"One day we'll get to stay in bed all day." Levy promised with a small giggle. Gajeel gave an amused sigh against her ear.

"One day. Not today." he sighed, sitting up and bringing her with him. He gave her an apologetic smile when he saw her wince. "Shower?" he offered. Levy smiled and nodded, and they were off for a quick shower before Gajeel went to work.

It was his first day as the Don of Fairy Tail, after all. He really shouldn't be late.

* * *

Woo! Gajeel is finally the Don!

You know... I could just end the story right here. Buttttt... there are still some loose ends hanging around that I plan to have causing some trouble down the road. What's gonna happen? I don't know. Or do I? Muahaha.

Anyways, thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment, favorite, and follow! Seeing how much you guys like this story really encourages me to write more often, and put out longer chapters. Hint, hint.

Like always,

-Nerdy12


	65. Arch-8 Peace

**Chapter 65 - Arch 8**

Ah, peaceful times were nice. Levy almost had forgotten what it was like to not be in constant danger, to be carefree as you go about your life. True, even in peaceful times, there was a chance she would be targeted simply because of who her husband was. But that was why she had a personal body guard at all times... even at work.

Ah, yes, working again was wonderful! Levy had forgotten how fulfilling it was to tend to her patients and do some good for the community. She loved working with these expecting mother and the little newborns. She loved working with Wendy and Charla. She loved working again.

Though... being a don's wife had a few perks. She didn't have to work nearly as much these days, because she could afford not to work. What's more, in her absence, the hospital had finally hired more doctors to distribute the workload more evenly, so she didn't feel pressured to work long shifts and avoid taking time off. It was wonderful! She worked four eight-hour shifts a week, and was never on call (though that was mostly due to Gajeel having a 'talk' with the hospital CEO). Levy finally felt like she could enjoy her work, unlike before where she'd dreaded the long shifts and horrible hours.

Ah... peaceful times were great! Levy wished they would last forever!

The mansion was in a bit of a stir when Levy returned home from work today. Lily followed her closely, picking up on the energy in the mansion. Something was going on. Curious, and a bit worried, Levy headed for Gajeel's office... Metalicana's old office. She walked in without knocking, knowing Gajeel didn't mind her doing so, and was surprised to find Gajeel sitting at his desk, looking rather annoyed as Lisanna was apologizing profusely over something over and over.

"Um... what's going on?" Levy questioned, startling Lisanna while Gajeel just turned his annoyed gaze to his wife.

"Had a little situation with her siblings." he grumbled. At her confused look, he sighed and addressed Lisanna. "Tell her what happened."

"U-um..." Lisanna fidgeted but nodded. "M-my big brother and big sister have been pestering me about my job, wanting to know where I worked and who I worked for. I... I didn't tell them, honest. They followed me to work this morning, and tried to, er, sneak onto the grounds..." She trailed off and looked at the floor in shame.

"They were apprehended?" Levy questioned, earning a nod from her husband. "Well, do they know anything just from being on the grounds and being apprehended?"

"They know enough to make this annoying." Gajeel grumbled, which led to Lisanna apologizing profusely again. "Look, Lisanna, I know yer sorry. Stop apologizing."

"I... I just... please don't kill them..." the poor girl started crying then. "Please, they're the only blood I have left..."

"That's their choice now, Lisanna." Gajeel said with a heavy sigh.

"But Gajeel..." Levy protested with wide eyes. He would really kill her siblings over something like this?

"No buts, Levy." Gajeel turned sharp eyes to his wife. "Having outsiders know where our headquarters is... it's fucking dangerous, and you know it."

"But they're Lisanna's family..."

"And it was her job to protect them." Gajeel said sternly. "It was her responsibility to keep them from learning about us. Now they know too much, and now they get the same choice that everyone else does. It's their choice to make now. End of story."

"But-"

"I said no buts!" he interrupted sharply, his voice harsh enough to make Levy flinch. Tears visibly pricked at her eyes. He let out a heavy sigh at that and looked to Lisanna. "Look, Lisanna, you know the choice is theirs. If I were you, I'd go down and try to persuade them before I get down there." She took the hint and hurried out of the room, leaving Levy and Gajeel alone in the office. Gajeel turned his gaze to his wife, who was looking like she was about to cry.

"C'mere." He opened his arms and she quickly moved into them. She buried her face in his chest as he embraced her. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, shrimp, but you know good and well that this is how things are." She said nothing, but she sniffled a bit as he held her.

"I'm the Don, Levy. I gotta keep the family safe, no matter what. Sometimes that means I have ta kill potential threats before they become dangerous. You know this." He felt her give a small nod against his chest, followed by another sniffle. He could feel dampness on his chest. Tears had soaked through his shirt. "Aw, shrimp, are ya really that upset?" he sighed softly, rubbing her back soothingly.

"You've never yelled at me before." she cried against his chest. Indeed, he'd never really even been angry with her before. Annoyed, yes. Frustrated, for sure. But never upset with her enough to raise his voice at her.

"I'm sorry, Levy." Gajeel apologized, holding her closer. "I really am. I didn't mean to shout. But you gotta realize that I _am_ the leader of this family. When it comes to stuff like this, my word is final." He took a deep breath before gently prying her from his chest, taking her chin in his hand so she'd look him in the eye. Mavis, he hated seeing her cry. But she needed to understand... "Shrimp, you can argue with me all you want over our marriage, our kids, whateverelse. But with family matters you need to respect me and my decisions. Yer more than welcome to add in yer two cents, but at the end of the day, it's my call, and you need to respect that, even if ya don't like it. Especially in front of family members."

"I'm so-" Levy tried to apologize, but Gajeel shook his head and silenced her with his thumb.

"It's alright, shrimp. It ain't completely yer fault, so don't apologize." he sighed softly. "Yer still learning how things work. I know it's hard to separate our little family," he motioned between the two of them, "and _the_ _family_ ," he gestured around them, "sometimes. So it's okay. If this was some decision I decided for _us_ , you could protest and argue to yer heart's desire. That's completely okay, baby." he assured her. "I want you to argue with me, cause I want you to stand up for yerself and not just let me control our marriage. Don't just let me take the lead all the time, shrimp, that ain't how a happy marriage works. Got it?"

"Y-yeah..." Levy sniffed, her tears slowly drying.

"I ain't ever gonna raise my voice at ya in those situations, shrimp. I swear it." Gajeel promised gently. "So don't be afraid ta argue. I only raised my voice this time cause _this_ was a family issue, not an 'us' issue. See the difference?" He smiled gently at her as she nodded. "I love you, Levy. I really am sorry for yelling."

"I forgive you." Levy said quietly, earning a relieved smile from her husband. He really didn't want her to be upset with him, after all. As much as he liked to see her angry, seeing her hurt and truly upset with him was a different matter entirely.

"Good. Now, go take a shower and change into somethin nice, shrimp. I'll take ya out for dinner. Anywhere ya want." he gave her a soft smile.

"G-Gajeel, don't spoil me j-just cause you yelled at me..." Levy protested lightly, coaxing a gentle chuckle from her husband.

"I'm too predictable, huh?" he smirked at her, cupping her face gently in his hands. "Too bad, shrimp. Yer gonna let me spoil ya a little tonight." He grinned as he saw a tiny blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Hop to it, shrimp. Be thinkin of where ya wanna go." He released her and gently shooed her away. She hesitated a bit, knowing what he was going to do once she was gone. He knew she knew it, too, and his eyes told her not to push it. This was a family issue, and his mind was made. His eyes told her to drop it, and he was glad when she silently left the room to go get ready.

Gajeel waited until she had been gone for a few minutes. Then, with a soft sigh, he put himself back into work mode. He checked his gun to make sure it was loaded, just in case. Then, standing from his desk, he pulled on his jacket and walked out of his office to take care of business. It was hard to be the boss sometimes.


	66. Decisions

**Chapter 66**

"I promise, they'll be really good to you. You don't even have to get very involved if you don't want. It's mostly just to keep you from going to the police..." Lisanna's voice could be heard as Gajeel slowly walked down the stairs to the cells.

"You know what they are, Lisanna." A woman's voice protested. "You know they do horrible things!"

"What, and our own government doesn't?" Lisanna scoffed. Gajeel had to bite back a laugh at that. True, if only they knew what horrible things his majesty, the king did. "B-besides, you won't have to be involved in any of that. I-I just cook. Other civilians just go about their lives. Almost half the city has ties to them."

"But..." the woman voiced again but trailed off.

"It's not very manly to be associated with criminals." a man's voice came. "But... it's not manly to die by a criminal's hands, either. Not like this, anyways." The was a short pause before he spoke again. "And it's not manly to leave our little sister alone in such a world, Mira."

"I know, Elfman, but-"

"Sister, if he kills you, he'll have to kill me, too." Lisanna interrupted her with a firm voice. Gajeel could practically hear the shock of the silenced siblings.

"Good, then I'll be rid of all three of you and can sleep in peace." another voice came. This one Gajeel recognized as Jude Heartfilia's. _Almost forgot he's still down here_ , Gajeel mused.

"Oh shut up, old man." the woman's voice came angrily. "Lisanna, you wouldn't dare!"

"I would! You are my only family left! I can't live without you guys."

"But Lisanna..."

"Oi, oi, Lisanna's a big girl." Gajeel interrupted as he finally reached the cell, startling all three of them. Lisanna had been sitting just outside the cell, talking to her siblings, who were as close to the bars as they could be. They were all holding hands. It was cute. "She can make her own decisions. Just like you two need to make your decisions now."

"A-and just who are you?" The young woman inside the cell spat. She was beautiful, Gajeel had to admit, but she had a very typical kind of beauty. That copy and paste look lots of attractive women had. Tall, slender, large bust, pretty face, stylish clothes. Her only unique feature was her exotic white hair, which flowed behind her. Some of it was pinned up at the top of her head. The man beside her was younger than her, for sure. He was very stocky and muscular, with shaggy, spiky white hair identifying him as the third sibling. Gajeel could tell this man was very tall, possibly taller than he was. But he was young and had a cocky air about him. He reminded Gajeel of himself when he was younger.

"H-he's the Don." Lisanna whispered nervously to her siblings, who stiffened upon hearing this. This man was the Don? He was intimidating, tall and strong with many piercings and a hard face. But he was far younger than they'd expected him to be. This man... he was the one who would decide their fates.

"I suppose little Lisanna's told ya what I'm about to offer already." Gajeel hummed as he looked between the three siblings. "But I'll go ahead and say it anyways. I can't have y'all out there knowin what ya know without havin a little insurance. So ya got a choice." He focused on the two in the cell and gave them a hard stare so they would know he meant business. "You can join Fairy Tail. You'll be fully protected by the family and can go about your daily lives as usual. Or ya can be silenced the other way." He shrugged like it was no big deal to him. Because it wasn't. Whether they lived or died, it was their own choice in the end. He'd feel bad about killing Lisanna, if she really did ask him to. But that was also her choice...

"So what's it gonna be?"

* * *

Levy was silent in the car, barely meeting her husband's eye. She was nervous about the question she wanted to ask... because she didn't know if she wanted to know the answer. Did Lisanna's siblings join Fairy Tail or... did Gajeel kill them? She... she didn't know if she wanted that answer. If Gajeel had killed them... how would she feel? She'd seen him kill someone before. She knew of him killing an innocent, good man before. She knew there were other innocents that he'd killed to protect the family. So why did these siblings dying bother her so much? Was it that she knew Lisanna, cared for her? Or was it that she didn't think it was justified this time? Either way... she was almost scared to find out their fates. But she needed to know.

"They joined." Gajeel answered before she even voiced the question. He figured that's what was bothering her now, that's why she wasn't even looking at him. Seeing her sigh in relief only confirmed this. "What would you have done if I'd killed them, shrimp?" Gajeel asked his wife now, finally getting her to look at him, though it was mostly in surprise. "Would you love me less?"

"Of course not." she responded right away. Gajeel let out a silent sigh. Well, that was good, at least. She answered without hesitation, and her eyes told him she spoke the truth. But...

"Then what would you have done?"

"I... I don't know." she admitted quietly. "I... it's not like this is still new or anything. I just... don't know why I was so worried this time." she told her husband with a soft sigh.

"I know why." Gajeel said gently, pulling her from her seat onto his lap so he could give her a comforting hug. He gave her a gentle smile as she looked up at him. "It's cause ya knew who it would affect, and ya care about them. That made it personal." he explained. "It's so much harder when it's personal, shrimp. When it's just business, ya can tell yerself just that. It's just business. But when it's personal, it ain't _just_ business anymore."

"Then... wouldn't that make everything you do personal?" Levy asked her husband quietly, looking up at him with curious eyes. "You know everyone that's in the family, and you care about the family. Doesn't that make it personal?"

"It does." Gajeel smirked at his intuitive wife. She was sharp, as always.

"Then how do you do it, if everything's so personal?"

"Lot's of experience and practice." he chuckled humorlessly. "It ain't always easy... but that's my burden to bear as the don."

* * *

So how's that for an introduction to the rest of the Strauss family? I wanted to have them all in here at some point, and I realized a bit too late that maybe Mira would have been a better candidate for the first sibling in the family. Oh well. Lisanna worked out well enough.

Anyways, thanks for reading. Please, please tell me what you think! I find your lack of comments disturbing (read in Darth Vader voice).

Thanks!

-Nerdy12


	67. Orientation

**Chapter 67**

Levy timidly looked between the two newest members of the family, who were both giving her harsh looks. They clearly hadn't wanted to join Fairy Tail. Nobody put in their position really wanted to join... they just didn't want to die. And these two didn't want to die for a reason. They couldn't let Lisanna go down with them... and they couldn't leave her to go through life without them so suddenly. The Strauss siblings were as close as siblings could be.

It was admirable to Levy, who had never had siblings she could have bonded with. The closest had been Jet and Droy, after all. Levy didn't have such a deep familial bond with anyone. She admired it, really. She just wished they'd stop giving her death glares.

Oh, why was she in this predicament?! She should be enjoying her day off, not sitting in a room with the new recruits. But her plans with Lucy and Juvia fell through, which left Levy at the mansion all day. Once Gajeel saw that she was bored, he decided to put her to work. He gave her an 'easy job'... teaching the new recruits about what they could and could not do as part of the family.

They had been pleasant enough when she walked into the room with Lily in tow. However, as soon as she said she was Levy Redfox, the glaring started. She was related to _him._ The Don. Worse than being related to him... she was his _wife_. She willingly chose to be associated with someone like him. Someone who would force their little sister into a criminal organization. Someone who - and they saw it in his eyes - would actually have killed Lisanna if she'd asked him to... and she really would have asked him to, if they'd not agreed to join.

The silent glaring persisted for too long. Levy had no idea how to handle this. She wanted them to like her. She'd been so worried about them, after all, because they were Lisanna's family. But... the way they were acting... it was starting to piss Levy off. Yes, she wanted them to like her... but they also needed to understand her position in the family. She was the Don's wife and, dammit, she ought to be treated like it.

Just as Levy opened her mouth to spew out the little speech she'd just thought of... a knock on the door silenced her. They all turned to look as Lisanna let herself in, carrying a tray with tea and cookies on it. She gave everyone a bashful smile.

"I, uh... thought you might like a snack while you talk. I... I hope you don't mind, Mrs. Redfox." She turned pleading eyes to Levy before looking back at the tray. Levy noticed a fifth cup, and she bit back a smile. Lisanna was trying to weasel her way into the meeting. She didn't have to, she was quite welcome to join.

"Of course not. Please, join us." Levy offered sweetly, gesturing to the chair next to her. Lisanna smiled and quickly set the tray on the table. She passed out the cups of tea, taking one to Lily as he stood at attention by the door. He gave a nod of appreciation and she went to sit by Levy. Only then did she notice how tense the room was.

"Um... are you guys okay?" she asked quietly, looking to her siblings. She noticed they were giving Levy harsh looks, and she frowned. "Mira, Elfman, what's the big idea? Why are you looking at her like she killed your puppy?" Lily snickered quietly at the comment, unable to help it. It was so random but it worked so well.

"She's _his_ wife." Was all Mira said. Elfman stayed silent. Lisanna took a moment to understand what her sister just said, and the implications of her words... and when she did, she was pissed.

"And she's the one that _didn't_ want you to die." Lisanna told them firmly, surprising her siblings. "She... she was really worried when she found out about you guys... and she even got into an argument with the boss over it. She hasn't done a single bad thing to you, and you guys are treating her horribly! This isn't how mother raised us!" Her words made both siblings flinch and look ashamed, while Levy just stared at her in awe. But Lisanna continued.

"Mrs. Redfox is such a sweet, kind, gentle soul. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this." And now Lisanna's words had Levy blushing at all the praise. She... she really made such an impact on Lisanna? They barely ever saw each other... but she thought so highly of Levy from their few interactions. It... it made Levy feel... validated, appreciated... accepted by the family.

"And another thing," Lisanna continued with an annoyed huff, "you shouldn't hate Mr. Redfox so much, either. Sure, he's a criminal and he does bad things. But he's just trying to protect the family. Besides, he's the reason I'm even alive right now! He's the one who saved me, and offered me a place in the family."

"Join or die is not an offer, Lisanna." Mira spoke up, her voice bitter.

"It's a better one than most mafia families would give." Lisanna returned, silencing her sister. It's true. Any other mafia family would have simply eliminated the threat she potentially posed and silenced her. But Fairy Tail gave her the chance to live and she took it. She let her siblings think that over for a minute before she spoke. "Look. I know you want to protect me, and I know you don't want to be here... but this... it's not nearly as bad as it seems. _Fairy Tail_ is not nearly as bad as they seem. Even the boss... he's really good guy, deep down. I may not play a big part. I'm only a cook, after all. But I care about this family and I don't want you to hate it here. Please... just give it a chance. And apologize to Mrs. Redfox. Please." she pleaded with her siblings, who shared a look before turning back to their little sister. Levy noticed their eyes were considerably softer now.

Mira and Elfman suddenly bowed their heads in Levy's direction. "I'm sorry for my behavior." they said in unison, surprising Levy. She'd expected that they might stop with the glaring, but she hadn't actually expected an apology for them.

"We... we shouldn't have been so rude when you've done nothing wrong." Mira continued, raising her head to look at Levy. She seemed far more kind when she wasn't glaring daggers at her.

"It's not manly to be rude." Elfman supplied, looking rather ashamed at himself.

"I, uh... it's okay." Levy said with a nervous laugh. "R-really. I'd be upset in your shoes, too."

"I... if it's alright. Can we start over?" Mira asked cautiously, surprising Levy further. She looked between the two siblings with a shocked expression, but it softened into a gentle smile. Levy held her hand out to Mira.

"My name is Levy Redfox. I'm here to teach you how things work in the family. Nice to meet you."


	68. Steel

**Chapter 68**

It was just another typical day. Gajeel was busy in the office, looking over reports and financial statements. Levy was off work today, and spending her time in the library. She'd gone to lunch with Metalicana, who was greatly enjoying retirement. It was a time of peace, but the guards were still diligently training in the courtyard, and there were constant patrols of the grounds. Everything was quiet and safe. Just as it should be.

"Boss, Bixlow is here." Natsu said as he poked his head into the Don's office. Gajeel looked up from the reports he was reviewing and nodded at Natsu.

"Bring him here. Get Levy, too."

"Right-o." Natsu grinned and gave a two-finger salute before hurrying off. Levy arrived first, having run into Natsu in the hall on her way back from the library. Shortly after, Bixlow walked into the office with his usual grin and a large bag in his hand.

"Ya called, boss?" he slender tattoo artist grinned with his tongue hanging out to show his Fairy Tail symbol. Gajeel smirked at the eccentric man. He never changed.

"I need a touch-up on my back, and the shrimp's been thinkin of gettin a new tattoo. She wanted yer opinion on some designs." Gajeel explained, leaning back in his chair and looking to his wife. Bixlow grinned and addressed Levy first.

"Well, Mrs. Boss, let's see what you got."

"I, um, was thinking of doing something to honor my parents." Levy blushed and held out her notebook she'd been drawing designs in for a few weeks now. Bixlow looked over them with serious eyes, getting into business mode. Sure, having fun and goofing off was his thing. But he was an artist and he took his job seriously. He wanted to make sure Levy got something she wanted, and she would be happy with forever.

"These are a great start. Where would ya like it to be?" he asked her.

"Um, my ankle if I go with one of the small designs. My thigh for a bigger one." she answered quietly, watching as Bixlow thought over the designs and locations.

"Shrimp, ya know it's gonna hurt on yer thigh, right?" Gajeel pointed out to his wife, who pouted at him.

"I can handle it." she said firmly, earning chuckles from the men.

"I like your spirit, Mrs. Boss." Bixlow grinned. "Now, if ya don't mind, can I take this notebook? I'll draw up some nice designs based off what ya got here and come back." Levy nodded to his request and he looked to Gajeel. "Let's see what ya got fer me, boss." Gajeel had already unbuttoned his shirt at this point. He shrugged out of it, then turned to sit backwards in his seat. Bixlow leaned in close to look over the ferocious dragon he'd tattooed on Gajeel years ago. He spotted the issue with it instantly, and he grinned at Levy. "The missus likes it rough, eh? Couple of scratches back here, boss." he laughed as Levy turned several shades of red.

"Figured there would be some." Gajeel chuckled, knowing his wife's face must be a sight to see right now. It was her own fault, really, scratching him up like he was a scratching post. Sometimes she even drew blood, and that left visible marks on his tattoo that stayed. "Honestly, just thought the color was fadin a bit."

"Yeah, it's a bit faded. Yer gettin too much sun, boss." Bixlow shook his head in amusement. Of course Gajeel didn't get that tanned look naturally. He trained topless in the courtyard frequently to get that nice tan of his. And all that sun was bad for his tattoo. "Good thing I thought to bring my equipment today. Let's get started, boss."

* * *

The touch up was taking a while. Of course it would. Gajeel's tattoo was huge; it covered his entire back. And Bixlow was basically redoing it, going over every inch of it to give it fresh ink. Gajeel sat backwards in his office chair, resting his chin on his arms which were crossed over the top of the chair. Levy had moved to sit at his desk, and she was holding up documents for him to read while Bixlow worked his magic on his back.

"Put that one in the sign pile, shrimp." Gajeel said to his wife. He'd sign it later, when he could move.

"That's the last of them." Levy hummed. Most of the documents had been financial statements or reports from Fairy Tail's businesses. Quite boring to read, in her opinion, but necessary to get them done and signed quickly. "What do you usually do when you finish the reports?"

"Head to the gym, usually." Gajeel told his wife with a small smile. "Two hours a day. Old man will usually join me for a match in the boxing ring."

"Every day?" Levy asked in awe. She really didn't know her husband's schedule all that well, it seemed. She usually left him to his work and tried not to bother him. But he got two hours in the middle of the day to go work out?

"Gotta keep in shape somehow." Gajeel chuckled. "I know ya like the results, shrimp." he winked at her, loving the cute blush that came to her cheeks. True, she did drool over his physique, even to this day. "This ain't natural, ya know."

"Not on you, boss." Bixlow commented. "But your father? I think he was born with a six pack. I've never seen him do more than spar with you, even when we were kids."

"Nah, he works out. Just hides the fact that he ain't perfect." Gajeel laughed. Bixlow, of course, grew up in the family and had been one of Gajeel's friends growing up. He was one of the only kids his age, after all, and mafia brats had to stick together. Him, Bixlow, and Laxus wreaked havoc on the family in the early days, and Natsu and Gray did the same a few years later.

The silence returned but it was peaceful enough. Just the soft whir of the machine Bixlow was using. It was, surprisingly, Bixlow who broke the silence this time.

"Boss." Gajeel grunted to say he was listening. "Lisanna told me about what happened. Ya know, with her siblings."

"Oh, did she?" Gajeel raised a brow, looking at his wife who had looked up from her book at Bixlow's words. "What did she say?"

"Just told me what happened, really." Bixlow hummed. "But... she said somethin I didn't like. She said she was goin ta ask you to kill her... if her siblings refused ta join." Levy gasped in shock at that. Gajeel hadn't told her that at all.

"She said the same thing to me." Gajeel confirmed.

"Would you have done it?" Bixlow was unusually serious, and he'd even paused his work to ask this question. Gajeel clenched his jaw a bit. He could see where this was going.

"Bixlow, I'm gonna tell ya somethin I ain't told anyone before." Gajeel broached the topic cautiously. "And if ya tell a soul, I'll slit yer throat."

"Okay..." Bixlow voiced warily.

"The night we saved her, if she'd refused to join... I wouldn't have been able to pull the trigger." Gajeel admitted to the surprise of both his wife and Bixlow. Gajeel was notorious for getting the job done no matter what, and silencing all threats. But he wouldn't have been able to silence Lisanna? "She's so small and innocent and she had so much bad shit happen to her. I just... couldn't do it. Not then. Not to her."

"And... now?" Bixlow questioned.

"If she'd have asked me to... I woulda hated it, and it would have been the hardest thing I've ever done in my life... but I would have respected her decision." Gajeel answered truthfully. "I wouldn't have let anyone else do it, either. Her blood would be entirely on my hands, and trust me I would hate myself for it. I would hate myself for the rest of my life. But as the Don... that's my responsibility. _My_ burden."

All was silent after Gajeel finished speaking. Levy's eyes were full of tears as she realized just how much something like that would have affected her husband. He was always like steel to her. Strong, unyielding, unbreakable. But even he had a soft spot. For her, of course... but also for the whole family. Having to kill a precious family member, especially someone as sweet and innocent as Lisanna... it would have really messed him up inside. Bixlow was silent as he contemplated the Don's words. After a long silence, he started the machine up and continued working.

"I'm glad her siblings joined." Bixlow finally voiced after a good while. "Because if you'd killed Lisanna... you would have had to kill me, too." The hidden meaning in his words hung in the air, and it wasn't hard for the Redfoxes to piece it together.

Bixlow was in love with Lisanna... and willing to die for her. When had this happened? The Redfoxes rarely saw Lisanna or Bixlow, aside from recently. They must have hit it off that day Levy got her tattoo. Levy remembered seeing them talking, and Lisanna was even blushing a bit at one point. Had they been dating since then?

"Pretty sure you'd be fucked up big time if that happened." Bixlow continued with a dry chuckle. They were good friends, after all. Not the closest friends, but close enough that Bixlow's death would really affect Gajeel, especially if he was the one to pull the trigger.

Gajeel just gave a small, humorless laugh and a sad, empty smile. "Yer probably right, but..." he took a deep breath and looked to his wife. "I got a family to protect... and a wife that needs me. I'd bounce back." His empty smile turned into a soft, genuine one.

"It takes an awful lot to break steel, ya know."

* * *

First things first: I probably won't have time to update on Thursday. Sorry guys! Next: I know that's probably not realistic for a touch-up tattoo, no need to correct me or anything. Finally: no, wait... that's it. haha.

Thanks for reading, guys! Please, please leave a comment! I want ten per chapter and right now I'm about 50 comments behind! I miss hearing from my readers, and for those of you that faithfully comment... thank you! I really do appreciate it. It makes my day to see how my story makes you all feel.

Thanks, again.

-Nerdy12


	69. Regret

**Chapter 69**

"It looks so crisp now." Levy marveled at Gajeel's tattoo as he looked at it in the mirror. It had been over three weeks since Bixlow did the touch-up, and it had finally healed up. Bixlow did an amazing job, but that was to be expected. He was the best tattoo artist in Magnolia, after all. The fierce dragon on Gajeel's back looked like it had new life. It was crisp, clean, sharp... no longer faded and dull. Its crimson eyes glared at all who saw it, a threat of death in those eyes. Its scales looked sharp and almost as if they were not skin, but actual scales. Bixlow had even added to the tattoo, which Gajeel appreciated. Now the dragon held an orb with the kanji for steel in it. He'd gotten inspiration for it from the end of Gajeel's little speech about steel being hard to break and whatnot.

It looked amazing.

"He did a great job." Gajeel nodded with a grin, turning to face his wife. He pulled her into his arms with a quick kiss. "How'd you feel if I got somethin on my arms, too?" he hummed at her. "Maybe some sleeves?"

"I think that would look great on you." Levy smiled at her husband.

"I was also thinking... maybe we should get a matching tattoo." he smirked, then, pressing a kiss to her temple. "On our anniversary, maybe?"

"Really?" the eagerness in Levy's voice made him grin widely.

"Really." he confirmed with a light chuckle. "I even have a design in mind."

"What is it?"

"I'm not telling." he grinned. "Ya gotta trust me on this, shrimp. I promise it's a good one. Even Bix really likes it."

"I trust you." Levy smiled happily at him. She knew he really did have a good design in mind. He wouldn't let her put something permanent on her body that she wouldn't love forever. "Let's do it, Gajeel. I want a matching tattoo with you."

"Good. I'll add it to the list, shrimp." he laughed lightly at her curious face.

"List?"

"List." he nodded. "I got a lot planned for our anniversary." he chuckled, silencing her with a finger to her lips when she tried to ask what he had planned. "My secret, for now." he winked. "You'll get to see it in two weeks. Just be patient."

* * *

Jude Heartfilia scratched at his beard, grumbling to himself about needing a shave. He hated growing his beard out. It itched like crazy and was highly unprofessional. He sighed heavily and relented to being unkempt. There wasn't anything he could do about it, down here in this cell. They barely allowed him a shower a week, and that was only to keep his stench away.

He leaned back against the cold stone wall. Three months, he'd been down here. He only knew that because Lucy told him the date when she came to visit him. It felt like it was so much longer than that. Down here in a basement cell, he couldn't tell whether it was night or day out. There was an analog clock on the wall to tell time... but the only way he knew if it was day or night was based on when meals were brought to him.

He was finally eating the meals he was brought. Hunger had humbled him and his high class palate. After starving himself for a week, even pig's food would have tasted like heaven to him. The soup and sandwich he'd eaten that day had been the best food he'd ever had. It took starvation to make him truly appreciate food of all kinds. He doubted he'd ever be picky again.

The sound of someone approaching was surprising to Jude, considering it was nowhere near meal time. There was rarely anyone down here, even in the cells. Fairy Tail didn't take a lot of prisoners, Jude noticed, and the ones they did take didn't last long after being interrogated. He, of course, was the exception for some reason. Jude guessed that it might be Lucy. She didn't visit often, but she did come sometimes.

Sure enough, his daughter appeared before his cell.

"Hey." She sighed softly as she looked down at him.

"Hello." He nodded in return. "Here to yell again?"

"No." Lucy gave a heavy sigh, crossing her arms. "I think you got the message. I just... want to talk."

"About?"

"Anything." She shrugged, looking away from him. "You... you are still my father. I would hate myself if we didn't talk some before the family finally gets rid of you."

"Oh? So has that been decided yet or?"

"The Don is still debating it." It was true. Gajeel was still trying to decide if he should kill Jude or not. He wasn't dangerous anymore and, with Cobra still out there, Jude could be useful down the road. Plus, Metalicana was right about one thing. Killing Jude wouldn't be a big enough punishment for his sins.

"I see. So... what would you like to talk about?"

"What were you going to do if you got me back?" She was quick to ask. She had wanted to know that for a very long time, and it was finally time to ask. Jude stared at her for a moment before sighing and looking away.

"That associate of mine still wanted to marry you." He admitted. The words he didn't say were obvious. He would have married her off the instant he could.

"You realize I'm married now? I know you would have known that before."

"I did." Jude nodded solemnly. "But... it's an easy fix, you know. Forged papers, bribed judge. You'd be divorced by the end of the week, married by the next."

"You would have done that to me?" Lucy asked but she wasn't really surprised. Jude's silence only confirmed this. "Even if, say, I had a child? Would you have taken me from my child?"

"Well... it's not like you do... do you?" Jude sighed. He knew he was a dick, but it's not like she really had a child to be separated from. His spies would have reported that. Lucy just stared at him for a moment before silently walking away, much to his confusion.

He thought she left for good. So he was surprised to hear someone enter the basement again a few minutes later.

"Mommy, where we go?" A tiny, very young child's voice was heard, and Jude felt his heart drop into his stomach. No, it couldn't be...

"To visit someone, sweetie." His daughter's voice came just as they came into sight. Jude's eyes widened upon seeing his daughter carrying a young girl in her arms. The child couldn't be more than three, and she was the spitting image of Lucy, but with pink hair that was pulled up into adorable pigtails.

"Lucy, she's..." Jude stared in awe at the small child. He was taken back to a time when Lucy, herself, was that small. She would follow him around all day and sing cute songs for him and her mother. And this child in his daughter's arms...

He was a grandfather, and he'd never known it.

"But... how did I not know? My spies..."

"We were very careful to keep her hidden." Lucy told her father. "She stayed with her other grandfather, mostly." She looked to her daughter and gave her a small smile. "Say hello, Kasai."

"Hi, mister!" The girl cheered happily. Her smile was so bright, and Jude couldn't help but smile back. She sure was a cute thing. Spunky, too.

"So?" Lucy's voice had Jude looking to her again. Her eyes were serious again. "If you had known about her... what would you have done? Would you have taken me from my baby? Would you have killed the one growing inside of me?" she demanded, placing her free hand on her stomach as she revealed her pregnancy. He was the first person aside from her husband to learn of this child. She'd known since shortly after her father was captured by the family. If he'd gotten her back then, it would have only taken another month or so for it to be discovered via her horrible morning sickness. She was still lean at just over four months pregnant, but... there was a bit of stomach now that could easily be mistaken for chub.

Jude's eyes went wide as saucers upon learning of her pregnancy. He looked between her face, her stomach, and her daughter... all the while trying to find an answer. What would he have done if he'd known of his granddaughter? If he'd gotten his daughter and discovered her pregnancy? What would he have done?

He... he didn't know. That scared him, too... because there was no telling what he might have done in that situation back then. Now? Now, well, of course he wouldn't have done it. He would have tried to make amends with his daughter. But that was now. Back then? During the war?

 _He didn't know..._

* * *

Hi guys! So sorry for not posting Thursday, but I've had a busy couple of weeks. Hope this chapter makes up for it!

Please tell me what you think! I want to include a few more Jude and Lucy chapters, maybe bring Natsu in... but we'll see.

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	70. Arch-9 Anniversary

_A/N: Just a head's up - this chapter is a long one. You're welcome._

 **Chapter 70**

The sun shining in her eyes is what woke Levy from her peaceful sleep. She sighed happily as she stretched in bed, feeling extremely relaxed. She loved her days off. She got to sleep in, and it was wonderful. And to think, a few years ago she never knew how blissful a good night's sleep was... because she never got it.

Levy rolled over in bed, knowing Gajeel would be gone already. It was rare that they woke up together, and the few times it happened were always so nice. But she wasn't surprised to see his side of the bed empty. She was, however, surprised to see a letter and a rose resting on his pillow. Her heart fluttered a bit as she remembered...

It was their anniversary.

She blushed at the romantic gesture. This was so sweet of him, leaving her a rose like this. She remembered he'd said he had a lot planned for today. She wondered what they would be doing. With a happy smile she took the rose and smelled it, before turning her attention to the letter.

" _Good morning, my shrimp. Happy Anniversary. I have some business to take care of, but I will be back to take you to lunch. Think of somewhere you'd like to go. Anywhere you want. I left a gift in the bathroom for you. Use it and relax, okay? I love you. Gajeel._ " It was short and to the point, but it was sweet and Levy knew Gajeel was trying to be romantic in his own way. She smiled happily and made sure to put the letter in the keepsake box she had in the closet. She took some time to look through their wedding album. It still felt so fresh, as if they'd just been married yesterday.

Levy finally made her way to the bathroom, where she found the gift from Gajeel resting on the sink. It was a bath kit, complete with expensive-looking bubble bath, a few bath bombs, a cushy bath robe with a matching headband, and lotion. She noticed small candles had been placed around the lip of the tub, with a small lighter sitting next to one. Finally, she found her favorite book also resting on the lip of the tub, waiting to be read yet again.

Sweet Mavis, if this was all he did for her for their anniversary, she'd be one happy wife. It was so sweet and so romantic, and he'd obviously put some serious thought into this. She already felt like the gift she'd gotten him wasn't nearly enough, now. Sure, she knew he wouldn't care and he would love his gift... but she wished she'd done more.

With a small but happy sigh, Levy figured she might as well enjoy the gift he gave her. She started the bath and got ready for a nice, long, relaxing soak.

* * *

"Yer not supposed ta sleep in the bathtub, shrimp. That's dangerous." her husband's amused voice was what woke her from the nap she didn't know she'd taken. She blinked up at him sleepily as she came to, finding him smiling down at her. "I take it, it was relaxing?"

"Very." she hummed, giving him a sleepy smile. The candles had gone out and the water was cool now, which made her shiver a bit. Just how long did she sleep for? It must have been at least an hour, seeing as Gajeel was back to pick her up for lunch.

"C'mon out, shrimp. Don't need ya catchin a cold." Gajeel smirked at her, holding up a towel that looked far warmer than her bath water. She climbed out of the tub and let her husband wrap her up in the towel and his arms.

"Happy Anniversary." she sighed happily into his chest. "Thank you for the bath kit. It was so nice. You're so sweet, sometimes."

"I try." he chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Hungry yet?"

"Not yet." she shook her head.

"Then we'll have a late light lunch and a late dinner." Gajeel decided. "I got other things planned, shrimp. Let's get ya dressed and get to it."

Several minutes later found Levy dry and dressed in a cute blue sun dress. She followed Gajeel through the mansion, and it was no wonder where they were going. The barracks were just ahead, after all, and Gajeel had even told her to bring her gun. She smiled happily as they got closer. They were going to the range. She couldn't wait to show him how much she'd improved.

Gajeel was actually quite impressed with her improvement. He didn't get to take her to the range as often as he'd like to, after all. He figured she'd asked Lily for help. She did enjoy it, after all. Shooting paper was far better than shooting people, and she liked the challenge of improving her aim every time. She still shot the closest target, but now she was hitting the inner circle with every shot. She'd be moving the target back soon enough at this rate.

Gajeel, of course, had flawless aim. Nothing surprising there. But what surprised Levy was that he took the targets down and handed her a pen. At Levy's curious look, he grinned.

"Remember your first time here? Ya wanted to keep the paper." he reminded her. "I told ya we could do this fer special occasions. What's more special than our first anniversary?"

"You remembered." Levy awed happily, taking the pen from him to write on the target. She wrote her name, the date, and the occasion and Gajeel signed his name next to it on her target paper. There was no point in saving his, after all. There was only one hole in it.

The range wasn't their only stop for the day. After the range, Gajeel took Levy to lunch at a cute cafe she'd been dying to try. Then they were off to the tattoo parlor.

"Alright, shrimp, ya gotta trust me on this." Gajeel reminded her with a gentle smile. Levy gave a firm nod. She trusted him, obviously. But then Gajeel took her face in his hands and gave her a serious but gentle look. "I need ya to be strong, too."

"Strong?"

"Yeah." he sighed softly. "Cause this one... it's gonna hurt a lot more than the one on yer shoulder did." he warned her seriously. "Think ya can handle it?" Levy nodded, her eyes determined, and Gajeel smiled at this. His little wife was a fighter. She'd be able to handle a bit of pain. "That's my girl."

Gajeel went first, while Levy waited out in the waiting room. Levy wanted to see the tattoos after they were both done, so she wasn't there to watch Gajeel's. She didn't wait horribly long, perhaps half an hour. Gajeel and Bixlow took her back to get hers, and that's when Levy found out just where the tattoo was going to be. Now she understood Gajeel's warning...

It was on the ribs.

"Just relax, Mrs. Boss, it'll hurt more if you tense up." Bixlow was surprisingly calm and serious as he had her lay on the table. Gajeel stood to the side out of Bixlow's way and held his wife's hand. He gave her a reassuring smile, which she timidly returned. She took a deep breath, and Bixlow got to work.

* * *

"Three, two, one..." Gajeel grinned as they stood before a mirror. After he said one, they lifted their shirts to reveal the new tattoos. Levy's eyes went wide and filled with happy tears as she finally saw the tattoos. It was the ending to their wedding vows, and their secret promise to each other.

There, on their ribs, in elegant cursive with beautiful rose petals swirling around as if being blown by wind, the words " _Forever and Always_ " were forever printed on their bodies. Levy launched herself at her husband with a happy cry.

"Oh, Gajeel, it's so sweet and so beautiful. I love it, I love it!" she cried against him while he held her with a happy grin. He knew she'd love it. Both his father and Bixlow had thought so, too. And he was glad she really did love it.

"Told you, you'd like it, shrimp." Gajeel smiled, embracing her carefully so as not to irritate the tender tattoo on her side. He chuckled happily as Levy pulled him down for a kiss. "Worth the pain?" he grinned when they parted.

"So worth it." she nodded with a happy laugh. It was so worth it.

* * *

"Gajeel, you're really spoiling me today." Levy gushed with an adorable blush as her husband dragged her towards a store she was becoming too familiar with. It was a dress store, the one he took her to every time they went out to a fancy restaurant. "R-really, I can wear one of the dresses I already have..."

"But where's the fun in that?" Gajeel laughed lightly as his wife. "I want ta spoil you today, shrimp."

"B-but this is a bit much." Levy complained cutely. "Please, Gajeel? Just let me wear one of my other dresses? You've already done so much for me today and I haven't even given you your gifts yet." Gajeel slowed down and looked at his wife wife with a gentle smile.

"You really don't want a new dress?" he questioned.

"I've already got too many." Levy nodded. He gave a light sigh then smiled at her.

"Fine. I did go a little overboard today, I guess." he chuckled. "But we're still going to dinner. I already made the reservation."

"T-that's fine." Levy giggled with a small smile. "But after that, no more spoiling me. It's your anniversary, too, you know." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, then gently pulled him back toward their waiting car. "Let's go home and relax before dinner. I want to give you one of your presents before dinner."

A few minutes later found them in their suite. Levy had Gajeel sit on the couch while she went to grab his present. She came back with a dry cleaning bag that was twice her size and had a large red bow on it, and she laid it out on their coffee table.

"Happy Anniversary." she smiled sweetly at her surprised husband. "I... I know you don't really need any more of these. B-but I figured this one could be for special occasions?" She gestured to the bag, silently telling him to open it. He did, pulling the dry cleaning bag off of the hanger. His eyes went wide upon finding an ash gray suit with white pinstripes. It was obviously made of expensive material, and it seemed like it was tailored to his size. But how? "I... I asked Metalicana for the name of your tailor. He had your sizes, and he promised me this one would fit as nicely as your others do." Levy assured him with a small smile.

"Levy, this... this is amazing." Gajeel grinned at his wife. "I really love it. Thank you." He pulled her into his arms with a sweet kiss, loving how she kissed him back happily. She'd been worried he might not like it, so she was elated that he loved it. "Can I try it on?"

"I-I was hoping you might... wear it to dinner?" Levy asked timidly. Gajeel just grinned at her.

"So that's why ya didn't want a new dress..." he hummed. Knowing her, she'd probably gotten something for herself that would compliment his suit. She blushed deeply at being found out. "Of course I'll wear it ta dinner, shrimp. But don't let me see yer dress til it's time ta leave. I wanna be surprised." he winked at her. Levy just smiled and nodded happily.

They relaxed for a few hours, then, just enjoying each others' company. It was rare that Gajeel had time to spend with her like this... just doing nothing. Levy thought this might be the best gift of the day, this time alone with her usually busy husband. But good things come to an end eventually, and soon enough it was time to get ready for dinner.

The suit looked amazing on Gajeel. It really was perfectly tailored to his size. The color made his piercings stand out, but it also gave him a more mature, strong look. He loved the suit... but he loved it even more when he saw Levy's dress.

She'd chosen one that went very well with his suit. It was a beautiful, flowing evening dress that started off as white at the top, then faded into a dark gray at the bottom. Silver beads accentuated her bust and waist, then flowed down to the skirt of the dress. It had a sweetheart neckline and a low back that revealed her tattoo, and she wore silver heels to make her a bit taller. Her hair was pulled into an elegant up-do, and her make-up was light but went well with the dress. Finally, she wore a beautiful silver comb in her hair to tie in with the dress. She looked... dazzling.

"Mavis, Levy, you look so beautiful." Gajeel breathed as he gently pulled his wife into his arms. She blushed cutely but smiled up at him.

"Lucy really has an eye for stuff like this." she giggled. "She helped me pick it all out, and all she saw was a picture of your suit."

"I'll have ta thank her. This is gorgeous on you, shrimp." he smiled, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Mavis, I wanna take it off of you already. But we're gonna be late if I do that." he chuckled, gently pulling her towards the door while she giggled at his antics.

They, of course, went to the same restaurant as always, the one they had their first date at. This time, however, they had guards with them. The Don of Fairy Tail didn't just go out to eat without protection, after all. Gray and Lily were their guards tonight, and Lisanna was in the kitchen watching everyone carefully. Nobody was going to poison or harm the Don or his wife on their anniversary under their watch.

Their arrival caused the somewhat noisy restaurant to go silent immediately. It was like one of those record scratch moments you would see on TV. The instant Gajeel and Levy walked into the dining hall, every single patron was silenced and staring at them with wide, shocked eyes. It was more than what had happened the last time they'd gone, because now Gajeel wasn't just the don's son anymore. He was the Don. And nobody ever expected to see the Don out and about like this. What's more, Gajeel and Levy weren't even trying to hide who they were. Levy's tattoo was on full display at Gajeel's insistence, even though she had a scarf she could have worn to cover it up, and their guards walking behind them made it even more obvious who they were.

They were seated instantly in the same booth as always. Levy did like this booth. The half circular design and high backs gave them privacy while letting them look out into the dining area. Gajeel liked it for security reasons. It was the bet vantage point in the room. He could see the entrance and the kitchen doors from here, as well as every person trying to approach them. Gray and Lily took up guarding positions on each side of the half-circle booth while Levy and Gajeel got seated. It took a while for the silence to turn into hushed whispers again.

"I don't think I'll get used to that." Levy sighed softly as she looked at her husband. All the shocked silence when they entered the room, all the hushed conversations about them, it was still very surprising to Levy even after being with Gajeel for a few years now. Gajeel just gave a light chuckle as he leaned back in his seat.

"I'll just have ta take you out more. You'll get used to it faster then." he flashed her a charming grin that made her blush and smile.

"You spoil me too much already." she giggled at him, but she leaned closer, enjoying the feel of his arm wrapped around her waist. "Help me pick something?" she asked, gesturing to the menu.

"Was planning on it." he smirked, taking the menu from her and looking it over. "Are you in the mood for anything particular?"

"Not really. Just no seafood or red meat tonight, please. Not really in the mood for those." she hummed. He nodded silently, keeping his eyes on the menu. All was silent for a moment, and then he closed the menu and grinned.

"Trust me?"

"Of course." Levy smiled at her husband. As if sensing a decision had been made, their usual server hurried over with a friendly smile.

"It is so wonderful to have you dining with us again, Mr. and Mrs. Robertson. How may I serve you tonight?" he smiled at them. Gajeel ordered a stuffed pork chop for himself and some kind of pasta for Levy. "Wonderful choices. Any wine pairings tonight?" the server questioned.

"Just water for me, please." Levy said before Gajeel could order her a glass of wine. Her husband raised an eyebrow at her but ordered himself a glass to go with his meal. The server happily hurried off to put their orders in.

"No wine, shrimp? You love their selections here." Gajeel questioned when they were alone again.

"I'm just not in the mood for it." she shrugged easily. Gajeel didn't buy it but he let it drop. If she didn't want wine, she didn't want wine. It wasn't a big deal.

It didn't take long for their meals to arrive and Levy absolutely loved the pasta Gajeel ordered for her. It was cheese tortellini in some sort of pesto sauce, and it was so savory but so light all at once. Gajeel's pork chop was stuffed with spinach and cheese, and served with a creamy sauce on top. Levy got a bite of that, too, and it was fantastic. Not that she expected anything less that perfection from this restaurant. She was always impressed here.

Desserts came shortly after their meal. Levy turned down an offered bite of Gajeel's tiramisu, saying it was a bit heavy for her. She happily ate her lemon Italian ice, instead, finding it refreshing and sweet and a great end to the wonderful meal she'd eaten.

Soon enough they had returned home to the mansion. Levy hummed happily as she leaned on Gajeel's arm while they walked back to their suite. He smiled down at her, glad to see her so happy. It had been a wonderful anniversary, and a truly memorable one. Not all of their anniversaries would go this way or be so over the top. They both knew that. But this was their first, and Gajeel had wanted to make it extremely special. And it was. With everything they'd done today, it would be a wonderful memory for years and years to come.

They finally reached their suite, and Levy had Gajeel sit on the couch. The day wasn't over just yet. She hurried to the kitchen while her curious husband waited patiently for her return. She came back with a small plate holding a thin slice of cake.

"Shrimp, I'm stuffed." Gajeel chuckled at his wife as she sat beside him. "Where'd ya get the cake, anyways?"

"The top tier of our wedding cake." Levy replied, surprising him. "I froze it. It's supposed to be good luck to eat a slice on your anniversary. And we're both full, so it's just a small piece. Please?" She batted those lashes at him and he let out an amused sigh.

"Alright. I can handle a few bites." he smiled at her, taking the fork from her hands. He cut off a piece and held it up to her. Levy blushed as she realized he was going to feed her, and she slowly opened her mouth. The cake was a bit dry after a year in the freezer, but the taste was still there. She smiled and took the fork from him, then, doing the same to him. They did this until the cake was gone, and then they both sat back with a sigh. They were so full.

"I don't think we can do anything else tonight, shrimp. We might puke if we try." Gajeel sighed heavily. And here he'd wanted to end the night right and make love to his beautiful little wife. Levy just giggled and leaned against him.

"We can do that in the morning. I'm so tired, anyways."

"Same here."

"I do have one more present for you, before bed." she hummed happily after several moments. At his curious look, she stood and headed for the bedroom. He followed, his interest piqued. He watched as she pulled a small, wrapped box from her night stand. She smiled with a cute blush and held it out to him.

Gajeel smiled his thanks to his wife before turning to the box. He sat down on the bed and unwrapped it carefully, then took the lid off the box. The contents... were not what he was expecting. Inside the small box was a small, folded note. He took it out and opened it. The only words on it were "Look Up." Curious, Gajeel looked up at his wife. His eyes widened in shock, then. While he was distracted, she'd grabbed something else from the nightstand and was holding it in front of her. It was a small picture, black and white, but it was obvious what it was the moment Gajeel's eyes landed on it. He turned shocked eyes to his wife's face, and she was smiling joyfully at him, tears pricking her eyes.

Gajeel was on her in the next second, picking her up and spinning her around with a loud exclamation of joy. Levy laughed merrily and hugged him as he spun around with her, dropping the picture which floated down to land on their bed. The black and white picture landed face up, revealing a gray-ish background with a back circle in the middle. In the middle of that black circle was an image of a small gray blob that was hard to make out. Even still, it was obvious what it was. The little blob was a baby...

Levy Redfox was pregnant.

* * *

I expect this chapter to cause a lot of screams hehehe.

How's that for you guys, huh? Long chapter AND a big announcement. You're welcome (insert smug face here).

Why don't you tell me how this chapter made you feel? I want lots and lots and lots of comments!

I need feedback from you guys because, really, you guys do shape the story. I was going to have Levy be pregnant way earlier than this, but a few people pointed out it wasn't really a good time for it yet. I decided I could probably drag it on a little bit, so I did, and here we are and I feel like this was better anyways. Don't you agree?

Anyways, a few announcements. Well, just one really. I won't update next week due to the fact I will be in the middle of the Caribbean somewhere getting sunburned and drunk. Yay vacation. Regular updates will resume after next week, no worries. And I left you guys with a really good chapter to enjoy so... enjoy! haha

Thanks for reading, like always!

-Nerdy12


	71. Vulnerability

**Chapter 71**

It was normal for Gajeel to be awake way before Levy. It was not normal for him to stay in bed with her until she woke up. But that's what happened the day after their first anniversary. Levy woke up peacefully when the sun began to shine in her face. She hummed happily at finding her husband was still in bed with her, spooning her and lightly kissing her shoulders. And then she felt his hand on her stomach, rubbing small circles into the skin with his thumb, and her heart swelled with love and joy.

Gajeel had been overjoyed about her pregnancy. She had been, too, of course. She'd been dying to see those little blue lines on her pregnancy tests for months now. When she'd seen them she'd thought they were a false positive, at first. But a second test and a trip to the hospital later confirmed it. She really was pregnant. Oh, she'd wanted to tell Gajeel right away! But then she remembered that their anniversary was right around the corner... and the idea came to her to reveal it to him then. She was glad she'd waited.

It had been trickier than she'd expected to keep it a secret at dinner that night. She knew, of course, what she could and could not ingest while pregnant. But keeping Gajeel from ordering something she couldn't eat, without revealing why she couldn't eat it... well that was challenging. It had actually taken her a while, far longer than she'd like to admit, to think to tell him she just wasn't in the mood for meat or fish. And she knew turning down wine would get her a brow raise. She was lucky he didn't push the subject. And then came the tiramisu, and she'd so wanted to accept a bite! It looked delicious and she knew it would be heavenly. But the caffeine soaked dessert was a no-no and, alas, she had to turn it down. Gajeel had looked at her strangely, knowing how much she loved coffee and anything that tasted like it. But if he suspected anything, he'd said nothing of it.

He hadn't suspected it, after all. The announcement caught him totally off-guard, and the look on his face was priceless. Levy swore she saw tears in his eyes when he put it all together.

It was the perfect end to their first anniversary.

"Good morning." Levy sighed happily, turning in her husband's arms to face him. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Mornin, shrimp." he pulled her closer, but paused when she flinched a bit.

"Tattoo, Gajeel." she complained. The tattoo was still sensitive, and he'd just pulled her by the ribs, practically.

"Shit, sorry." He sighed, sitting up a bit. He pulled her pajama shirt up to check out her tattoo. It was still wrapped in clear wrap, and Gajeel's was too. "It's about time ta take this off, shrimp. I got some stuff to put on it." Levy nodded and let Gajeel take care of it. He only had three tattoos, personally, but he knew more about caring for them than she did. Levy just admired the fresh tattoo while he took care of it for her. It really was perfect. She loved it, and she loved it even more that Gajeel had a matching one. She watched his as he moved. It looked so perfect on his ribs, as if he'd always had it.

"I really love it, Gajeel." Levy smiled happily when he finished. It felt so much better to have it exposed to the air, and that salve he'd put on it was soothing. Gajeel grinned at her and set about taking care of his own.

"I do, too, shrimp. I'm glad we did this." he suddenly paused and looked down at her with soft, concerned eyes. "Wait... shrimp, the tattoo won't... you know... hurt the baby? Right?" He questioned, looking pointedly to her still flat stomach. He'd heard somewhere that pregnant women shouldn't get tattoos. Levy gave him a gentle smile.

"It won't." she confirmed. "I usually tell my patients not to, because the needles could transfer HIV or other bad things that could hurt both the mother and baby. But I asked Bixlow about contamination. He said he buys sterile needles and uses a fresh one on every customer."

"That so?" Gajeel hummed in surprise. "Sounds more expensive that way."

"It is. That's why he charges so much." Levy giggled. She reached up and gently pulled him down to her for a quick kiss. "Don't worry, Gajeel. I'm fine. The baby is healthy, and I plan to keep it that way. Why do you think I said no to wine and seafood and other yummy things last night? This is _my_ specialty. I know what I'm doing." she assured her worried husband, who smiled and let out a small relieved sigh.

"Alright, doc. I'll calm down." he teased lightly, pressing his forehead against hers. "Mavis, we're gonna be parents, shrimp. Anyone else know?"

"Well, Wendy knows. She's the one who did the ultrasound." Levy admitted with a small pout. "But I promise you were the first one to know after that."

"Good." he grinned... before frowning a bit. "Keep it that way for a bit, shrimp. Let's tell my old man, and Lily of course. But nobody else needs to know yet, okay?" He didn't have to tell her why. She knew now, after being with him for so long... too many people knowing sensitive information was dangerous. Lily and Metalicana, obviously, wouldn't tell a soul. But it was hard to guarantee that with anyone else. And this was very, very sensitive information, indeed.

The Don's wife was pregnant... and therefore extremely vulnerable.

Gajeel wanted to celebrate. He really did. He wanted to tell the whole world that he was having a child with the most amazing woman in the world. He was going to be a father!

But he had to remind himself of his role in the family... all the dangers that came with it. All the dangers his wife faced while at his side. They needed to keep this a secret for as long as they could. He needed to keep his wife and unborn child safe, no matter what.

If something happened to them... he didn't know what he'd do. But it wouldn't be pretty.

* * *

I'm back from vacation, y'all! Unfortunately, I'm also back to work. Hence the late update! So sorry, guys.

Anyways, this chapter is short and sweet, if you ask me. Trust me, there's more coming. I have lots planned muahaha

BTW anyone know how to get rid of a mouse? One's taken up residence in my apartment while I was out of the country and it's freaking me out. I'm naming it Sir Remington the Third. Remy for short. Hope it turns my bf into a gourmet chef.

But in all seriousness I'm scared guys! He's out of my room, thankfully, and a towel under the door should stop him from getting in tonight but guys I'm freaking out!

In other news I'm buying a cat tomorrow.

Anyways, if I don't update on Thursday it's cause the mouse got me.

Au revior,

-Nerdy12


	72. Happy

**Chapter 72**

"So from here to there, that wall will be gone, and this kitchenette will be gone. I want this space nice and open." Gajeel explained to the designer he'd called in. "Think that will work?"

"Well, we'll have to see if this wall is load-bearing." the middle-aged man hummed, looking around the small kitchenette. "If it is, we can put some support beams up there, but that's more expensive."

"Money is no issue." Gajeel waved with a sigh. The designer just nodded and turned to the next task at hand.

"So, the kitchen will be moved to the next suite over. Why don't we go there, Mr. Robertson?" they headed next door and the designer looked around. "Alright, I see what you're going for, when you said to remove that door." he hummed, referring to the main door to this suite. Gajeel wanted that door gone, and a wall torn down where the kitchenette currently was. He was converting two suites into one large apartment, almost. "That's doable, for sure. Just need to get materials to fill up the door. And now, this kitchen?"

"Levy wants a really nice kitchen." Gajeel nodded. His little wife missed cooking, and it was a pain in the ass to go across the mansion to cook or to even get food. Levy wanted the option to just be able to cook when she wanted to.

"Hm, I'm thinking all along this corner and back wall, here, with a nice island with a sink and a breakfast bar here." the designer suggested, drawing a few sketches on his notebook. "I'll have to ask your wife what materials she would like, but marble counter tops are very popular these days." he paused and looked around the room that was currently a living room. "There will be space for a small dining area, between the kitchen and living room, if you'd like?"

"That's fine." Gajeel nodded. He was sure Levy would like that, anyways. "The last thing is this bedroom, here." he led the man towards the huge bedroom with a connecting bathroom. "I want this to become two rooms of even size. And take out that bathroom door so it only opens up to the living room."

"That's easy enough." The designer nodded, adding that to his notes. "Just need to take out that big door, put two new ones in, then put up a new wall. How would you like them furnished?"

"Well, the one by the bathroom, don't furnish it. Just paint it white and put some carpet down. We can pick the color later." Gajeel shrugged. That room was going to be the nursery, and Levy wanted to design that on her own. "But the far one, I'd like some bookshelves in there and a really nice reading area by the window." This room, in particular, was his gift to Levy. She didn't know he was furnishing this room, and it was going to stay that way for now. She'd thought it would remain unfurnished, and if they had any more children, that would be their room. And it would be. But they could always take out the shelves and books and whatnot later. It would be a shame for this room to just go to waste, after all.

"Well, I think I've got everything. Don't worry, Mr. Robertson, I'll have this looking to your exact specifications in no time." the designer smiled at Gajeel, who gave a pleased nod. "I will be back later this week with a contractor, but I'm guessing this will only take about four weeks if we put a rush on it like you ask. Should I follow the same protocol to get in?"

"Yes. Everyone needs to be checked in at the gate. And give us at least an hour's notice." Gajeel nodded. It was the only way to keep these workers in the dark about who they were. All signs of this being a mafia family's headquarters were hidden before the workers came. Fairy Tail symbols were covered, banners taken down, and guards were informed of the visitors and therefore careful not to reveal their weapons, which all had the Fairy Tail symbol on them. "Gray will show you out." he told the designer as they left the suite. Gray stepped forward and politely gestured that the man follow him.

Levy passed them on her way to the suite, and she smiled at Gajeel when she walked into their room. "How'd it go?" she asked happily.

"Really well. He thinks everything will work." Gajeel smiled at his wife, gently pulling her to him with a light kiss. "They'll start later this week. I'll have our stuff moved into a guest room by then."

"I'm so excited. Our own little space for just our family." Levy hummed happily. True, it still wasn't very big. Perhaps the size of a nice apartment home. But it was more space to call their own, and soon there would be a third resident. Gajeel smiled and placed his hand on her stomach. It was still flat, but there was a tiny bit of a bump there now that could be mistaken for chub. Wendy had just given her a thorough check-up earlier that day, before Levy went in to work. Both she and the baby were in good health, and Levy seemed to be around 12 weeks pregnant. If she did the math right, Levy even knew the day she got pregnant... it was the day Gajeel became the Don. She told him this, and Gajeel just grinned happily at this news.

"That's perfect, shrimp." he chuckled. "Shit, now I'm awful happy ya convinced me to do it that night."

"Right?" Levy giggled at her husband, who kissed her sweetly.

"So, when do we get to know the gender?" he asked her now, grinning excitedly. He was beyond excited about this baby, and had been ever since she told him a few weeks ago.

"Well, a few weeks from now." Levy hummed. "You can usually tell around the 18th week or so."

"I want to go with you." Gajeel told his wife, giving her a gentle smile. She smiled back and nodded happily.

"Of course, Gajeel. I scheduled another ultrasound for around that time." she told him, standing on her tip toes to give him a quick kiss. "Think you can take some time off for that?"

"I'll figure something out." he chuckled, already thinking about how he could slip away for a while to go to this appointment. He might just ask his old man to keep an eye on things for a few hours. Hell, that's what he'd done for their anniversary. Speaking of... "Shit."

"What?"

"Shrimp, we've been so excited over the renovations and this baby... we forgot to tell my old man and Lily."

"Oh! You're right!" Levy gasped in surprise... before bursting out in a fit of giggles. "That's funny. And they're the only ones we can tell right now, too." she laughed at the situation. "Why don't we go tell them now? Let's invite your father out to eat, and tell them both then."

So it was decided. It didn't take much to convince Metalicana to go out to dinner with them. In fact, it was becoming an almost monthly thing for them to get together for dinner. Metalicana so enjoyed talking to his daughter-in-law, and they often got coffee or tea together on her days off while Gajeel was busy. Retired life was suiting him well. Of course, he wasn't completely retired. He still hung around and went to the monthly meetings and such. It was just that Gajeel was in charge now. But he was there to provide his opinions and such, and Gajeel really appreciated that he was still around to keep things from falling apart if he screwed up. Not that he needed to worry about that. Gajeel was doing a great job of leading the family.

Anyways, Metalicana happily agreed to go to dinner with them, and Lily came along as their guard for the night. They dressed down to make it appear like they were just... normal people out for dinner. Jeans and shirts for the men, and Levy wore a simple sun dress. Nobody knew who they were, and they went to a very casual restaurant. Lily sat at the table with them, but kept his eyes and ears open for any threats.

It was a pleasant, quiet dinner and Levy was quite surprised at the normal service for once. She'd been in the family so long that she'd forgotten what it was like to be normal. It was refreshing.

They talked about this and that, enjoying the nice evening and quiet atmosphere until it came time for dessert. That's when Gajeel and Levy got Metalicana and Lily's attention. They looked at the married couple with curious expressions.

"We have something important that you both need to know." Gajeel started off seriously, trying to keep his face firm. But as his father and Lily looked at him, he couldn't hold it in anymore, and his smile was breaking through. He gestured to Levy, who blushed and smiled sweetly at the men across from her.

"We're... going to be parents." She informed them, watching happily as both men stared at her in shock, then in joy.

"I'm going to be a grandfather..." Metalicana beamed with pride and joy, while Lily just smiled with happy tears in his eyes. To see the girl he cared so much about all grown up, happily married, and expecting a child... oh, it did wonders for his heavy heart. He just knew Liza and Leo were grinning ear to ear up in heaven as they watched their daughter with pride and love.

The dinner soon dissolved into talks about the baby. How far along was she? Did they know the gender yet? Lily and Metalicana were almost as excited for this baby as Gajeel was. And why wouldn't they be? Metalicana was going to be a grandfather and Lily, well, he might as well be considered her second father, as that was the role he'd stepped into as of late (you, know, aside from the body guard job). This was basically his grandchild, as well, and he couldn't wait to meet the little bundle of joy soon.

Metalicana sighed happily later that night as they were going back to the mansion. He looked back at his son and daughter-in-law through the rear-view mirror as he sat in the passenger seat. They were whispering quietly, Levy cuddled up to her husband as he had an arm wrapped around her shoulders. His free hand rested tenderly on her stomach, and there was a look in the new Don's eyes that Metalicana knew all too well. His son was completely, totally, irrevocably _happy_. He had the love of his life, and now they were expecting a child together. Metalicana knew the bliss Gajeel was feeling now, that pure joy that filled every inch of his being and gave him such peace and comfort. He'd experienced the same with his own wife, when she was expecting Gajeel.

Ah, to see it all come full circle, it was wonderful. These would be the best years of Gajeel's life, Metalicana just knew it. He'd been there, done that, and he dearly missed those years with his wife and young son. But to see his own son going through it, well, that put a huge smile on the retired don's face. This was what it meant to grow old. You lived your life, shared your knowledge and wisdom, and watched your children find happiness of their own.

Metalicana couldn't be happier than he was in this moment. He couldn't be prouder.

His son was happy, and that was all a father could ever really ask for.

* * *

Another chapter, done. Woo.

Please tell me what you guys think. I love all the great reviews I've been getting! You guys are so nice and awesome, and it really makes my day to see that I made someone smile!

Love y'all!

-Nerdy12


	73. Perfect

**Chapter 73**

"Let me just get a better angle, here..." Wendy hummed, moving slightly while looking up at a screen. She smiled brightly as the image came into focus. "There's your little bundle of joy." she said happily, turning to look at the parents. Both Levy and Gajeel had their eyes glued to the screen, watching as the fuzzy gray background became a bit clearer... revealing a very tiny baby face. Levy was smiling happily, and Gajeel was just staring at it in awe. "Look, you can see its eyes and nose and mouth clearly here." She pointed to the screen, mostly for Gajeel's sake. She knew very well that Levy knew what she was looking at.

"It's got your big forehead." Levy giggled up at her husband, who snapped out of his reverie at the teasing. He gave a soft chuckle and kissed her temple.

"Yer right about that, huh?"

"Do you want to hear the heartbeat, Mr. Redfox?" Wendy offered, holding out a small headset. Gajeel eagerly took it from her, but then he handed it to his wife.

"You first, shrimp. Yer the one carrying it, after all." He smiled lightly. Levy awed at the sweet gesture and happily put on the headset. She felt tears pricking at her eyes as she listened to her baby's strong little heartbeat. As an OBGYN, she'd heard millions of little heartbeats like this. But this... this was her baby. _Their_ baby.

"Oh, Gajeel, you have to hear this. Our little baby has such a strong heart." Levy gave her husband a tearful smile as she handed him the headset. He eagerly put it on, listening intently for the sound of the heartbeat. His eyes widened when he heard it, and he couldn't hide his smile even if he'd wanted to.

Wendy let Gajeel listen to the heartbeat for a while, watching the couple with a happy smile. She was so happy for them, and it was clear that they were very much in love. She knew how upset Levy had been that she was having trouble conceiving, and how unbelievably happy she was about this baby. She was so happy for them all that the baby was healthy and growing steadily. Everything was perfectly set for this little baby to grow and be born to some of the most loving parents in the world. Knowing that brought the greatest joy to Wendy.

Finally, it came time to learn the gender. Wendy moved the machine over Levy's stomach carefully.

"The baby is in a great position today." she commented happily, looking at the screen. "Dr. Redfox, what do you see?" She looked to Levy, who was staring intently at the screen. Her eyes narrowed as she looked for the signs of the gender, and then widened when she identified it.

"Gajeel! Oh, Gajeel, we're having a-"

* * *

"Oh, it's so nice to get to do this again." Lucy sighed happily as she sipped at her water. She looked around the room with a smile. Juvia and Levy were both happily nibbling on some scones, and now they had a new addition to their group of friends: Wendy Marvell, Levy's friend and coworker and the heiress to Cait Shelter, should she choose to follow her grandfather's footsteps.

Cait Shelter was on the verge of dying when Fairy Tail first discovered them. It was under Roubaul's control, but he was aging. Wendy's boyfriend, Romeo, was being taught how to take over, but he didn't see much point in taking over a dying family. Wendy had no interest in that kind of life, despite being raised in it. She'd much rather be a doctor. But she knew her stuff well enough, she knew how dangerous this life was, and she knew how important loyalty was. That's why, when Fairy Tail took Cait Shelter under its wings, she had zero issue being considered an honorary Fairy Tail member, and keeping the critical secret of Levy's true identity. Fairy Tail was helping her family to survive and thrive, after all, and Levy was a really good friend of hers. She was the new addition to their little group of friends, and she was quite happy about it.

"It is." Levy agreed with a nod. "We've all been so busy lately."

"Yes, it is so nice to meet up after all this." Juvia nodded as well. "And now we have a new friend! Oh, Juvia is so happy!"

"Thanks for letting me join you." Wendy blushed with a happy giggle, sipping at her tea.

"Oh, it's our pleasure, Wendy." Lucy smiled. "It's so nice to have another girl to talk to, and you seem like such a sweetheart." Wendy only blushed further at the compliment, but she smiled all the same.

"Lucy, Juvia noticed you aren't drinking tea." Juvia hummed after a brief silence. Everyone else was drinking tea, though for some reason Levy had chosen Roobios tea for this afternoon's gathering. Lucy, however, had gone for water. Lucy sputtered a bit at being found out, but she blushed and smiled in the end.

"Well, I was going to tell you guys later today. Juvia's got a good eye." she giggled lightly. "Guys, I'm pregnant again." A round of 'awes' and 'congratulations' went through the girls.

"I was wondering about the weight gain." Levy jested teasingly. Indeed, Lucy was already starting to show her pregnancy in a way it was hard to hide with clothes. She tried, wearing baggier clothes today, but it was clear she had a belly now. Levy was still able to hide hers, but Lucy was clearly farther along than she was. "I'm guessing five or six months?"

"Almost six, actually. I'm still pretty flat compared to when I was carrying Kasai." Lucy smiled.

"I see." Levy hummed. "Is that why you didn't drink tea today?" At Lucy's nod, Levy grinned at her. "You know... you can drink roobios tea. It's caffiene free and has antioxidants in it."

"Eh? Really?" Lucy asked with wide eyes. Both Wendy and Lucy nodded with easy smiles. "Don't tell me that's why you chose it today?"

"Well, I had the feeling you might be pregnant." Levy smiled lightly, but it was a big fat lie. She just didn't want the girls to know _she_ was pregnant yet. She hadn't known about Lucy's pregnancy, but it wasn't hard to believe she'd have that information. She was an OBGYN after all, and the don's wife, to boot. "I wanted you to be able to drink tea with us today, so I chose it to be safe."

"That's so sweet and thoughtful, Levy!" Lucy cooed, completely buying the lie. Even Juvia awed over Levy's consideration. Wendy just bit her lip to hide her knowing grin. She was the only one in the room that knew the real reason. But if Levy wasn't going to mention her own pregnancy yet, she wasn't going to betray that trust. Doctor-patient confidentiality, you know. "Say, are there any other teas I can drink?"

"Well, mint and ginger teas are good after the first trimester is over. Technically, you can have black tea and even coffee, too, but sparingly." Levy hummed as she thought about it. She'd done some research recently on tea, because she so loved her teas and coffee. Thankfully, both she and Lucy were in their second trimesters now, so they had more choices on what to drink. "I wouldn't drink anything excessively. Just in moderation, okay?"

"Got it." Lucy nodded while happily pouring herself a cup of tea. "I can't tell you how nice it is to have doctors for friends. It's got some perks." she giggled, looking to Wendy and Levy. "Ah, by the way, Levy... I was wondering if you'd like to take over as my OBGYN like you did with Kasai."

"Oh, I'd love to, Lucy, but I'm afraid I can't this time." Levy sighed sadly. "Too many patients as it is, and Gajeel wants me to reduce my hours a little more." Not to mention, she'd be on medical leave by the time Lucy gave birth... preparing for her own little bundle of joy to arrive. Luckily, all her patients would have given birth by then, and she wasn't accepting new patients until after she came back from maternity leave.

"I have room for another patient, if you'd like." Wendy spoke up, giving Lucy a small smile. "Levy taught me everything I know."

"That would be wonderful." Lucy nodded eagerly. Anything to have someone trusted help her with the birth. She couldn't have anyone outside the family, after all, due to her fairy tail tattoos on her thigh and hand.

The girls proceeded from there to enjoy their afternoon of tea and snacks, gossiping and joking together. Alas, it came to an end when Gajeel opened the door in search of his wife, having finished working for the evening. He found them all talking about babies and, for a moment, he worried his wife had let their secret slip.

"Oh, Gajeel!" Levy looked up with a happy smile as he walked into the tea room. She felt her heart flutter happily at seeing that he was wearing the suit she'd given him. He really did love it, and he wore it often. The other girls silenced their chatting at the don's presence, but gave him friendly smiles. "Gajeel, wonderful news! Lucy is having another baby." Levy told him happily, glad she'd okayed sharing this news with Lucy beforehand. Gajeel's worry passed and he gave Lucy a genuine smile.

"That so? Now I see why yer husband's been actin weirder than usual." he chuckled lightly. Natsu had been acting stranger than usual as of late. Nothing really got to him anymore, and even Gray couldn't make Natsu anything other than super happy... and they usually fought all the time.

"He's been like that ever since we found out." Lucy nodded with a giggle, knowing very well how her husband's behavior could be seen as concerning to those that knew him.

"Well, congrats." the don offered before turning to his wife. "Hate ta ruin yer fun, shrimp, but that designer's back and wants ta know how you want the kitchen."

"Oh! I hope he brought samples of back-splashes today!" Levy eagerly got to her feet. She gave her friends an apologetic smile but they waved her off with easy smiles. Back-splashes and tile choices were far more important than tea.

* * *

"I love this one." Levy smiled, pointing to one sample. "I think it would go really well with... this." She found the marble sample she wanted and placed it next to the back-splash sample she loved.

"Yes, very nice." The designer agreed. "And perhaps this wood, for the cabinets?" he placed another sample next to the others, and Levy's eyes lit up happily.

"Yes! That looks lovely!" she declared. "Let's do that."

"Of course." the designer nodded, writing down what he needed to order. "And now, for this new bedroom, here. Would you like to see the carpet now that it's been put down?"

"Oh, yes." Levy nodded, following him to the nursery. "I love it." she awed at the very soft light gray carpet. It went extremely well with the three white walls and the one accent wall... which was painted pastel pink. Levy could already see this room with a crib and toys all over the place. It was perfect... just like she knew their baby girl would be.

* * *

Yay! Another chapter! Woo!

I'm updating super early cause I just got off work (at freaking 11:30pm ug) and I'm trying to wind down before bed. I gotta tell y'all updating only twice a week is really hard when I have so many really good chapters written up. I wanna post them so bad! But if I do that, I won't have any more chapters saved up and the regular updates thing won't work out anymore...

Just know you should be excited.

Anyways, please tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	74. Arch-10 Repentance

**Chapter 74**

"Levy, wait up!" Levy paused at hearing some familiar voices calling out to her. Lily heard them, too, of course, and quickly pulled Levy behind him, keeping her safely between his massive form and the wall behind her. He leveled a steely glare at the two men approaching.

"Jet, Droy, I told you to leave her alone." Lily scolded. He knew very well as to why Gajeel didn't want them around her, and he agreed with that decision. He knew they wouldn't hurt her, but he had a responsibility to keep them away from his charge. They'd been warned before, and it was starting to annoy him. He'd have to take drastic measures soon enough if they didn't stop.

"Please, Lily, it's been months..." Droy begged.

"We just want to talk." Jet added.

"Then talk to the don first." Lily stood firm, crossing him arms as he stared down at them. "Now leave before I make you. I won't be nice about it, either."

"Lily..." Levy protested his harshness, but he turned a firm but not unkind gaze to her.

"I'm sorry, Levy, but I agree with your husband on this one. I'm not letting them talk to you until Gajeel approves." he said firmly.

"But-"

"It's okay, Levy." Jet sighed softly. "We... we get it. We fucked up."

"Language." Lily's scolding went ignored.

"We'll... try again, with the boss. Stay well, Levy." Droy added. Levy peeked around Lily and watched as they sulked off down the hall. They were headed for Gajeel's office. Again. To try and plead their case. Again.

Gajeel no longer trusted them. Well, he trusted that they were too scared and too stupid to betray Fairy Tail. And he knew deep down that they would never physically harm his wife. But since it was discovered what Brain had wanted from Levy... and the fact that they would have contributed to Levy's pain and demise was realized... well, he just couldn't trust them anymore. He could barely stand to look at them, even. They were lucky they were still considered part of Fairy Tail after all that.

But they'd lost his trust and any respect he'd had for them. Gajeel didn't want them anywhere near his wife until they earned that privilege. As such, he'd told Lily to keep them far away from Levy at all times. It was the first time Gajeel had actually outright ordered Lily to do anything. Lily had always done his job without being told, watching diligently over little Levy and protecting her with his life. Even with this... had he known the circumstances around this order before being told, he would have kept Jet and Droy away from her without even being ordered to.

Needless to say, Lily was quite disappointed with the boys. To stoop so low as to use an innocent girl like that, just to hold a dying family together... to put her in a position where it was almost certain she would die... to be so weak and poor at leading that they needed a mascot that way... it had Lily seething with anger and disgust. He knew they were better than that. He knew their parents would have raised them better, taught them to be better leaders, taught them better morals. They were so much better than that, yet they stooped so low just to keep the family together. It disgusted him.

And he was more than happy to keep them far, far away from Levy.

* * *

"No." Gajeel's voice was cold and firm, and he didn't even look up from the document he was reviewing. The two men seated in front of his desk withered in defeat. Rejected yet again.

"Please, there's gotta be something we can do to change your mind." Jet begged the don.

"Surely we can regain your trust somehow." Droy added desperately.

"Good luck with that." Gajeel scoffed, grabbing his pen to sign the document in his hand.

"What do you mean by that?" Jet questioned warily, not liking his tone at all. Gajeel finally looked at them, his eyes serious and cold.

"I just don't see how yer gonna regain my trust." he said firmly, looking between the two. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms as he looked between them. "Tell me. What do you actually do for Fairy Tail?" he asked them.

"W-well, we maintain communications with Fairy Tail members that were once in the McGarden family." Droy supplied cautiously.

"Right..." Gajeel drawled out. "You _used_ to do that, anyways. During that whole transition phase. But that's ancient history now, and everything's fully integrated." he waved it off with a roll of the eyes. "What do you do _now_?" he pressed. Jet and Droy looked to each other, but neither had any clue how to respond. Silence filled the office. "That's what I thought."

"W-well, it's not like we were told to do anything else." Jet protested, but Gajeel leveled him with a cold glare.

"What, ya think that's how a family works? Ya do one job, then get ta sit back and relax while everyone else works? Any considerate member in a family would be asking if there's anything they can do ta help out." Gajeel explained firmly. "Fairy Tail ain't about giving and receiving orders. Everything we do is for the family's benefit. _Helpful_ members get promoted, earn trust. Lazy nobodies get tossed to the side and aren't trusted with shit." he paused to let them contemplate his words. "You wanna earn my trust? Fine. Try it. I don't see it happening but, by all means, prove me wrong. Til then? Well, ya wanted an order, so here's one. Heed it well." he leveled them with an icy cold glare. "Stay the hell away from my wife."

* * *

Chief of Police Erza Scarlet was nearly to the Don's office when the door opened and two dejected-looking men scurried out like the devil was on their heels. She paused and watched them hurry down the hall, a perfect crimson eyebrow raised with curiosity. What was that about? No matter, she was here on urgent business. She marched on to the Don's office, giving a swift rap of her knuckles to the door. Gajeel's utterly annoyed voice told whoever was outside to go away.

"It's very time sensitive." Erza insisted, knowing that the sound of her voice alone would tell him how important this was. She couldn't risk her career and her freedom by being seen at a mafia family's headquarters for any small reason, after all.

"Come in." Gajeel sighed heavily, knowing he was about to have to deal with another headache today. Erza opened the door and headed inside, finding the Don rubbing at his temples with an annoyed grimace on his face.

"Bad day?" she questioned, taking a seat across from him.

"It was fine til I had to deal with those two idiots." Gajeel grumbled, taking a deep breath before looking to Erza. "And yer just gonna make this headache worse, aren't ya?" he didn't wait for her to answer. "Alright, tell me what's goin on. Must be big for you to see me in person."

"It is." Erza nodded tensely, holding out a small, sealed manila envelope. "We have a problem... boss."

* * *

See? I didn't forget about Jet and Droy. They're just kinda... being punished. Don't worry, though, things will get better, just be patient.

Anyways, I'm posting this tonight (Wednesday) cause I work all day tomorrow and thought I should be nice for once haha. You're welcome for the early update. I might post on Sunday, too, for the same reason regarding Monday. But then everything should go back to normal.

I got some big things planned for the next several chapters. Y'all should be excited. Wink, wink

Anywho! Thanks for reading, like always!

-Nerdy12


	75. Relax

**Chapter 75**

Levy fidgeted slightly as she sat next to Gajeel, wearing the dress suit he had bought her months ago. She still wasn't used to these meetings, and she'd only been to one since he'd become the Don. She found it interesting to see how he interacted with the rest of the family. To her, he was her husband. That's all she really saw. But to everyone else, he was a dangerous, powerful, intimidating man. He gave off an air of 'respect me or die,' and there were many people who feared him. Even the council members who had been there a very long time... they treated him with the highest respect and were very cautious about how they approached him.

It didn't help that Gajeel's 'work mode,' as she called it, was very cold and stern. Very few people had the privilege of seeing him relaxed in any way. His father and Makarov were the only ones, aside from Levy of course, in the room right now to ever see Gajeel not in work mode. Gray and Natsu and their wives got to, only because they knew each other so well and for so long. Lily did because he was always around Levy and because he was actually considered a good friend to Gajeel. Bixlow did, but he was an old friend and it was honestly hard to be anything but amused around the artist. That was nine people, including Levy. Nine people out of a family with a couple hundred members.

It was rare for Levy to see Gajeel in work mode these days, mostly because she was working. When she was off, she tended to give her husband space to let him work. She had noticed that his work mode since becoming Don was quite different than it had been before. Before, he'd been cold and cruel, yes, but more expressive. He would grin, laugh, get angry, and do whatever he needed to do to intimidate people and do his job. These days, he was cold and calculating. He was intimidating, still, but it was a different kind of intimidation. This was a man with the power to end a life with a single order or a snap of his fingers, and his cold, calm demeanor about it just made him even more terrifying. Even Levy would admit, Gajeel was a very scary man sometimes, even to her. She was beyond glad she only ever really saw his 'husband' side.

But surely being so cold and harsh wore down on him. She worried about him sometimes. He's been getting more headaches as of late, and complained of stiffness in his neck. Most nights he came back to the room and was too exhausted to do much more than sleep. She knew he was stressed.

He tried to hide it from her, putting on smiles around her and trying to be playful or teasing when they were alone, but she knew his work was stressful. She didn't call him out on it, however, because she knew he needed to relax and teasing her and playing around with her was relaxing to him. Their weekly dinner dates, too, were relaxing for him. He got away from the mansion and away from work. But it still wasn't enough. Levy knew too well how too much stress could cause problems. She'd experienced it, herself, before she met him, when she was working almost sixty hours a week and getting little to no sleep.

While the rest of the council was talking among themselves, Levy was worrying over her husband and trying to think of a way to help him. She snapped out of it when the room suddenly went quiet. The meeting was starting.

It was boring, like always. A bunch of business jargon she barely understood. Talks of taking over another company, talks of a company about to go under, financial stuff, legal stuff, etc, etc. Then, like a light switch, the topic turned to shadier stuff. Who wasn't paying protection money, a couple of family members got arrested this week, there's a new drug ring trying to move into their territory, some new recruits needed training, and all that kind of stuff.

Levy paid attention to the goings-on of the family as much as she could. She wanted to be informed and be supportive of her husband. She didn't want to embarrass him. While she didn't necessarily want to be too involved, especially in shadier stuff, she did want to help the family if she could. Gajeel appreciated her effort, appreciated that she was trying to be a good Don's wife. Just her trying showed the whole family that she cared, and the family already thought she was doing really great.

"Onto more serious business," Gajeel's voice had all eyes looking to him as he produced an opened manila envelope from his interior coat pocket. He pulled several documents from it and laid it out on the table. Levy was close enough to see it, and her eyes widened. "These are police reports, compliments of Chief Scarlet." Gajeel told the council firmly. "Murders. Every victim is a young female, and each one has been killed the exact same way."

"So... Magnolia has a serial killer again. Why should we be concerned?" a random councilman asked, earning a firm stare from Gajeel.

"Because every single victim was under our protection. They're wives and daughters of business owners that pay us protection money." He explained to them, earning a couple of wide eyes as understanding filled them. "Scarlet has told me that they are having trouble catching this guy... and he's gradually working his way through our people, aiming for bigger targets. This is _our_ city and these are _our_ people. We're not going to let someone just waltz in here and do as they please!" This earned several nods and words of agreement.

"So what's the plan, Boss?" Natsu asked, sitting next to his father. He was slowly, but surely, being trained to take over for his father in a few years, and had been sitting in on meetings more often.

"First and foremost... we need to protect our own." Gajeel said firmly. "I'm raising the security level to level 4. Spread word down through the ranks to be cautious, and tell everyone to keep a close eye on their wives and daughters. Don't let them go out at night or alone." The council members nodded, writing down what they should do. "I'm assigning Gildarts and Igneel to this. Your men know the streets best, and you can work closely with Scarlet without raising suspicion."

Every first-responder, law enforcer, and lawyer in the city that was part of Fairy Tail reported to Gildarts, and Igneel covered the, er, shadier stuff. Protection money, drug dealers, small-time criminals. His men were the ones taking care of these things. As such, they were on the streets a lot and were used to tracking down targets. Igneel and Gildarts were old friends, too, and worked well together. Working with Erza, Gajeel had no doubt they'd catch this guy.

He wanted this guy's head. He dared to attack his family. What's more, he was only going after women! Shit, Gajeel didn't know if he could handle it if he targeted Levy. And just thinking of his daughter, though unborn she may be, brought protective instincts to the surface. There would be hell to pay if his baby girl was ever hurt.

"That's all for now. Gildarts, Igneel, I want daily reports. The rest of you know what to do. Yer dismissed." Gajeel finally said, sitting back in his chair. The room cleared out after that, but Natsu stayed behind.

"Um, boss, wanted to ask something." Natsu approached the Don cautiously. He raised a studded brow at Natsu and gestured for him to go on. "I'm... worried about Lucy, the baby, and Kasai with this guy out and about." The pink-haired man admitted, scratching the back of his head. "Was wondering... if she could stay at the mansion until this guy's caught?"

"Don't see why not." Gajeel sighed softly, glancing at his wife. He was worried about her, too, and he knew they'd be having a talk about this later. She needed to go on leave soon, anyways, because she was starting to show. It helped that she was carrying small, for someone in their nineteenth week. Her bump was small enough now that she just looked like she'd gained a bit of weight. Soon, baggy clothes and a doctor's coat weren't going to be enough to conceal her pregnancy... and they needed to keep her pregnancy a secret as long as they could. But he'd discuss it with her later. "Yer welcome to one of the guest rooms. Tell Gray he is, too, with Juvia and their kid."

"Thanks, boss. This means a lot." Natsu smiled. Gajeel just nodded and waved him away. He looked to his wife again when they were alone.

"I have a little paperwork left, shrimp, then we can get some dinner. Come with?" he asked gently, earning a small nod. He stood and helped her to her feet, and they were soon heading to his office.

* * *

Levy watched Gajeel go through his documents at his desk. His work mode was halfway turned off. He was more relaxed, since he was only around her, but he was still focused on getting these documents reviewed and signed. He was nearly done, and had even taken off his jacket and loosened his tie in preparation to leave.

He was so focused on one document that Levy's hands on his shoulders actually made him jump. He looked behind him to see that she'd moved to stand behind his office chair. She bit her lip in an attempt not to giggle at having startled him, and she reached over the chair to start rubbing at his shoulders.

"Shrimp, ya know better than to sneak up on me." Gajeel huffed softly, but did not make a single attempt to stop her from the very nice shoulder rub she was currently giving him.

"I walked right in front of you. Not my fault you didn't pay attention." she giggled quietly, making him huff a bit as he realized she was right. He'd been dropping his guard more often in his office, apparently. He'd have to work on that. Levy moved around to stand in front of him for a better angle. It was hard to reach over his chair with as short as she was. He let her, setting his work down and leaning into the massage with a happy groan.

"Dammit, shrimp, those are magic fingers." he said as he leaned his head against her chest, which was right in front of him. She giggled at this and applied more pressure, working out the many knots she found in his broad shoulders. Then she moved up to his neck and snickered when she heard him curse at how good it felt. By the time she worked her hands up to his head, he had pulled her down to straddle his lap. The skirt of her dress ended up pushed to her hips to accommodate, and Gajeel found himself palming her wonderful ass as he held her to him. His head was by her neck now, and he placed soft kisses up her neck to her temple as she finished the massage. "Thank you. Fuck, that felt good." he sighed into her hair. Levy just giggled.

"I'm not done." her voice was light and teasing, and he felt her fingers fiddling with the buttons of his shirt. She opened his shirt enough to get her hands inside, and she trailed those small hands of hers up his chest and over his shoulders. He groaned as she started massaging his shoulders again, this time without the shirt in the way. "You've been so stressed lately, Gajeel. It's not good for you." she told her husband quietly as she worked her magic. "You should really do something to _relax_." The way her voice dropped and her body pressed against him was a very good tip on how she thought he could alleviate this stress. Gajeel lightly bit her neck with a low groan, obviously catching on.

 _*** Lemon***_

A half-second later, Levy found herself laid back on his desk, her husband towering over her with a hungry grin. "Don't gotta twist my arm, shrimp." he chuckled, leaning down to capture her lips in a searing kiss. Levy hummed happily against his lips as he pressed against her, caging her to the desk with his large form. She buried her hands in his hair as he kissed her deeply, hungrily. She could feel his hardness against her leg, straining against his trousers, and she happily reached down to free him. He groaned loudly as he felt her hands surround him. But then he suddenly pulled away from her with a muttered curse, leaving her utterly confused as she lay sprawled out on his desk.

"Gajeel, what's wrong?" she asked, worried she might have hurt him somehow. She knew zippers were the terror of male genitals, but she was fairly certain she hadn't gotten him caught or anything. Gajeel was panting as he stood by the desk, gripping the edge of it tightly and looking like he was in pain.

"Fuck, shrimp, I can't... I can't be gentle or slow right now. Let's... let's stop." he panted out, really trying to restrain himself from just taking her wildly like he used to.

"Gajeel, I'm laying on your desk, for crying out loud. If you were slow or gentle it would kind of defy the point." she told him, amusement in her voice as she had an idea of what the problem was. There was only one reason she could think of, after all.

"The... the baby, shrimp." he reminded her firmly. "Fuck, Levy, the last thing I wanna do is hurt the baby."

"You won't." she giggled as her suspicion was confirmed. She sat up just enough to reach his tie, and she quickly pulled him back down onto her, making him catch himself on the desk before he fell on her. His eyes filled with lust at the surprisingly bold move and she smiled, keeping a firm hold on his tie. "Gajeel, I'm pregnant, but I'm not some glass doll all of a sudden. Trust me, the baby will be fine. But I want you to fuck me. Right. Now." She demanded, tugging on his tie for emphasis. He openly groaned at the order, and he gave her a wicked grin.

"Yes, ma'am." he grinned, leaning down to kiss her hungrily again. She mewled happily at feeling his fingers rub against her through her panties. "Conniving little shrimp, using my stress to yer advantage." he growled in amusement against her lips upon feeling just how soaked her panties were. She wanted this perhaps more than he did, and she was using his stress to get what she wanted. She gasped cutely against his mouth as he pulled her panties aside and pushed a finger into her. He elicited a sweet keen from her as he pumped it in and out a few times.

"Gajeel, don't tease me." She whined when he took his finger away from her after only a minute. He grinned down at her and replaced his finger with something much bigger.

Levy cried out happily as he filled her with one quick thrust, gripping his tie tightly with one hand while her other hand held tightly to the front of his shirt. Gajeel set a fast, rough pace, grabbing her roughly by the hips as he slammed into her. He busied his mouth by biting and sucking roughly at her neck, while she clung to him for dear life, gasping and moaning in bliss as he gave it to her exactly how she wanted it: hard and fast.

Mavis, Gajeel had been nothing but gentle with her since learning about the baby. He was worried he might hurt her or the baby. It was sweet, yes, but so very annoying because Levy _loved_ it when he took her roughly. The baby would be fine, and Levy would tell him if anything started to hurt, obviously. But he kept to the same gentle routine and it was driving her crazy. Right now she was getting exactly what she wanted and she was absolutely loving it.

Gajeel's lips muffled the scream that escaped her when she hit her end suddenly and intensely. Her husband groaned, feeling her tighten around him. A few pumps later found him reaching his end, too. He buried his face in her shoulder with a low moan, feeling every muscle in his body tighten and then relax. The stress of the past few weeks left him and he struggled not to collapse on his pregnant little wife. He did smirk, however, at feeling her legs trembling around his waist. Seeing his wife looking utterly dazed and still shaking from aftershocks of her pleasure turned his smirk into a grin.

"I see a well-fucked shrimp." he hummed in amusement as he stared down at her. She didn't even warrant that with a response, just let out a soft mewl as she felt his cock twitch inside of her. She gasped so cutely as he pulled from her warmth. He zipped up his pants quickly before pulling her into his arms and sitting back in his chair with her, smiling as she leaned against him with a content sigh. "I think you relaxed more than I did."

"Maybe." she giggled quietly in agreement, glancing up at him with a cute blush. "But you _are_ relaxed now... right?"

"Very." he sighed happily. They stayed that way for a while, a comfortable silence falling over them. And then Levy squeaked cutely upon feeling her husband's hands grabbing her ass again. She turned surprised eyes to him, only to find him giving her a wicked grin. "Oh, I'm not done with you, shrimp. Got a few more _kinks_ to work out, here. Gihi."

* * *

Hi guys! Posting early again cause I work all day today and tomorrow. Anyways, here is a lemon for you hope you liked it!

Thanks for reading, tell me what you think!

-Nerdy12


	76. Communication

**Chapter 76**

That night found the spouses wrapped up in each other's arms, panting and sweaty and so... so satisfied. Gajeel hadn't realized how much he'd missed giving his wife a really good fuck. He'd been so concerned with not hurting the baby and, while the gentle rounds were wonderful of course, there was just something about giving in to the passion and need for each other. Besides, Levy had suggested that he'd better enjoy it while it lasted. Once she got bigger she'd likely be more sensitive... so it would be back to gentle sex again. For now, however, she wanted to enjoy her husband fully.

Gajeel held his wife close to him as they both recovered from their last round. Levy hummed softly and snuggled into him, spreading her hands over his chest and enjoying the feel of those rippling muscles beneath her fingers. Her husband chuckled softly as she admired his body, and he took this chance to admire hers. Mavis, he could never get over how beautiful she was. Her body had matured since they'd first met, filling out with more womanly curves. And now... seeing the small, adorable bump that was their daughter... fuck, she was beautiful. He'd never thought seeing her visibly pregnant would arouse him this much... but every time he caught a glimpse of that baby belly, he wanted to remind her how much he loved her body. How much he loved _her_.

Fuck, he loved her so much. She was so precious to him... and he absolutely was already in love with their baby girl. The world should really look out once their daughter was born... because Gajeel was going to be the most dangerous, most over-protective father to ever exist! What's more, he already knew he was going to be wrapped around a little finger the instant he laid eyes on her. That much was a given. She was going to be spoiled, and he was going to make sure she stayed safe from all harm.

Speaking of... he still needed to have a talk with his wife. Until this serial killer was caught, he didn't want her out of his sight. What's more, the longer she worked, the more likely it was that her pregnancy would be discovered. He knew Wendy would stay silent, but her other coworkers? Fat chance.

"You don't have to say it." His wife's quiet words surprised him, and he looked down at her. She was pouting cutely as she looked up at him. She'd been watching him for a few minutes, knowing that his mind was wandering again. He kept looking at her, his jaw tense, and she knew what he was thinking about. "You want me to go on leave early... don't you?"

"You a mind-reader, now?" he gave an amused sigh at her, making her giggle gently.

"No. But I know my husband." She said quietly, snuggling further into his arms. They were silent for a few moments, Gajeel gently rubbing his hands along her back.

"Yer not gonna fight me on it?" he finally asked, earning a tiny shake of the head from his wife. He'd been expecting her to protest... complain, at the very least. But she just sighed softly and accepted it. "Why?"

"You know what's best." her words surprised him, and he didn't hide it. She smiled lightly in amusement at his expression. "Not about everything, dummy. But... you... you know this world better. You know when things are going to be dangerous. And you know better than I do how to keep me and our baby safe." she admitted with a small pout.

She hated to admit it, but she knew next to nothing about protecting herself in this violent criminal world. Sure, she had a gun and knew how to use it. But that wasn't enough... especially with their unborn daughter now also at risk. And every move Gajeel made to protect her had always been the right move. She knew that. Even when she was taken by Phantom Lord... he'd had her stay in the mansion before then. It was considerably safer, after all... they just weren't expecting an all-out assault. She would have been taken either way. But she'd been considerably harder to reach in the mansion.

Yes, Gajeel knew best how to keep her safe. How to keep their baby safe. Perhaps, if she wasn't pregnant, she'd protest it. But now she had something so precious to protect. She couldn't deny it anymore. Gajeel knew best. She needed to trust him and rely on his judgement more... because she knew without a doubt that he'd do everything in his power to protect her and their daughter.

"I'll call tomorrow and tell them I'm taking a leave." Levy told her husband with a soft sigh. Gajeel smiled at this and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple.

"Thank you, shrimp. That means a lot." he told her softly, holding her close. They stayed that way for some time, just snuggling. And then Levy's breath suddenly hitched, startling Gajeel. Before he could ask if she was okay, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. His eyes went wide as saucers upon feeling gentle taps against his palm.

"That's... the first time I've felt her kick." Levy said with happy tears in her eyes. She'd felt her baby move, sure, but it was more like a fluttering sensation. But this... oh, this was a kick. Levy and Gajeel both marveled over it, smiling happily as they felt their daughter kicking away. And then the sweet moment was ruined when Levy whined.

"Nooooo. Baby, don't kick my bladder..." she protested, quickly getting out of bed. Gajeel snickered lightly as he watched his naked, pregnant wife hurry to the bathroom. Levy just grumbled quietly to herself, having a good feeling this was going to be a regular thing now. Goodbye morning sickness, hello tiny bladder. Oh, and they were only halfway through...

* * *

I only got four reviews on the last chapter guyssss... four reviews on a lemon chapter means it sucked didn't it? T.T

Also should I continue with these monday/thursday updates? I feel like it helps you guys know when updates will come, and it keeps some normalcy to it. But I also feel like I'm losing readers for some reason. Of course, there could be other reasons for that, I guess. You guys will tell me if I'm getting boring, right?

Anyways, thanks for reading. Please, please, please comment. I need to know how you guys feel about this stuff. I tweak things, you know, based on how the comments are. Not much, but enough. Your feedback really does matter.

Thanks.

-Nerdy12


	77. His Role

**Chapter 77**

Levy worried her lip as she paced around Gajeel's office. Gajeel looked up from his work, watching her for a moment before sighing softly.

"Shrimp, ya need to calm down." he told her gently. "They'll understand why we didn't tell them."

"How do you know?" she whined. "This is big, Gajeel. It's not like I'm only a few weeks pregnant. I'm _five months_ pregnant."

"And you are the Don's wife and a very big target to my enemies." Gajeel reminded her firmly. "They will understand why we had to keep it quiet." He paused and let out a soft sigh. "I just hope they'll keep quiet, too." The last thing they needed was word of Levy's pregnancy getting out. It was bad enough she was starting to really show now. No amount of baggy clothes would be able to hide the baby soon. Luckily, the mansion's guards were all stationed around the outside and in the halls closest to the exits... so nobody was really ever in the center of the mansion except for Gajeel, Levy, and a few council members here and there. So far, nobody outside of Metalicana and Lily knew about the baby. But that was changing soon.

Juvia and Lucy, with their children, had moved into the mansion until this serial killer was caught. Obviously, they would want to see Levy, who they hadn't seen or heard from in a few months. Not since their last tea party, after all, and that had been when Levy was only about twelve weeks along. They knew she was likely holed up in the mansion because of the serial killer, at Gajeel's insistence, no doubt. But now that they would also be there, they were going to want to spend time with her...

And she was very obviously pregnant now.

Levy had been avoiding them, hiding in Gajeel's office while he worked. They'd been here for two days, already, and Levy knew it was only a matter of time before they thought to ask Gajeel where she was. She feared they might be mad at her for hiding her pregnancy from them... especially for so long. It's not like she'd only hidden it for a few weeks. She'd hidden it for months. From her best friends.

"Shrimp, it's gonna be okay." Gajeel assured his worried wife. "Come sit down. I've got an appointment comin in soon." He gestured to the chair next to him at his desk. Levy sighed softly and sat down while Gajeel walked around the desk to make sure the baby couldn't be seen. Thankfully, his wife's petite stature made it easy enough to hide her stomach behind the desk without raising suspicion. As long as she didn't stand up, you couldn't tell she was pregnant.

"What's this appointment about?" she asked as Gajeel returned to his chair next to her, getting some papers ready.

"One of the businesses we took over ain't meeting their quota." Gajeel grumbled as he dug around in his desk for a certain folder. "It happens a lot, and usually there's good reason, so this stuff rarely gets past Makarov. He's pretty forgiving of most stuff. But this time he thinks they're tryin ta short us intentionally." He paused and gave his wife a small smile. "You sure ya wanna be in here? I'm likely ta get pissed off. Might scare ya."

"I'm sure I've seen you do worse than yell at and threaten people." Levy rolled her eyes, earning a small chuckle from her husband. Yes, she'd seen him do much worse than that. Numerous times.

"Ya remember the rules from last time?" he checked lightly. She nodded. Don't talk, try not to show emotion... don't be afraid of him. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "We'll get some lunch after this, alright? And then I'm done for the day. We can go relax."

"Okay." she smiled happily at this. He'd been taking more time off lately, trying to spend more time with her as her pregnancy progressed. He'd been doing his workouts early in the morning, before she woke up, and finishing his paper work early. Once he got his appointments out of the way, he made sure to spend time with her, keeping his pager on in case something urgent came up. He'd only been pulled away twice, so far, and he handled the issues fairly quickly.

The meeting was fairly short, all things considered. It didn't take long to realize Makarov was right. They were trying to fake having trouble meeting their quotas, and were selling the rest of the parts on the side for more money. Gajeel was pissed and the business owners were terrified of his wrath. He went on an angry rant before taking a deep breath and calming down, leveling the owners with a cold, heartless glare. Without saying a word to them, he picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Do it." Was all he said into the phone, keeping his eyes locked with the primary owner's. He hung up and all was silent for a moment... until the main owner's phone went off. The owner panicked and apologized for the interruption. "No, go ahead. _Answer the phone._ " Gajeel insisted firmly, seeming a bit too at ease about the interruption... as if he was expecting it. Suspicious and afraid, the owner answered the phone.

 _"Daddy?!"_ a woman's voice could be heard sobbing into the phone... and the owner's face went sheet white. He turned horrified eyes to Gajeel, who was still giving him a cruel glare. Levy struggled to keep up an emotionless appearance as she sat next to her terrifyingly powerful husband. She'd heard the girl from where she was sitting, and she could almost feel the dread and fear that the man was experiencing. If she was in his shoes... oh Mavis, she didn't want to think about that.

"You've disrespected me and you've disrespected Fairy Tail." Gajeel's voice was cold and calm as he spoke. "I'm doubling your quota for next month. Meet it, and she'll be returned to you unharmed. Can't promise the same if you fail me again." He warned firmly. "Now get the hell out of my office."

The men fled the office like the devil was on their heels, and Gajeel took a moment to calm down. Damn it, he was pissed off. Everyone knew better than to do this kind of shit but, for some reason, it had been happening a lot lately. Makarov thought it was because he wasn't Metalicana. They thought maybe a new Don would let it slide or wouldn't notice stuff like this. But they were dead wrong. Gajeel had been groomed for this position since he was a child. He knew exactly what he was doing. The problem was in making that clear to everyone else. He was not someone to fuck with.

"What... what's going to happen to the girl?" His wife's worried voice got his attention. He turned to find her biting her lip nervously and avoiding eye contact with him.

"Oi, oi... you know better than ta be afraid of me." Gajeel sighed softly, reaching out and gently taking her chin in his hand. He gave her a small smile when she met his eyes and nodded. She wasn't afraid of him. But the amount of power he had was _terrifying_. She realized that she tended to forget just who and what her husband was to the world. To the world he was a cold, heartless crime boss who was unafraid to do what it took to get his way. He killed, he kidnapped, he blackmailed, he tortured... but she had a bad habit of forgetting about all that.

Because, to her, he was just... Gajeel. Her husband. He loved her, he teased her, he constantly did romantic, sweet things for her. He was the father of her child. He was just Gajeel to her and she loved him. She loved him so much. Even when she was reminded of how scary he could be, she still loved him and would never be afraid of him. Afraid of his power? His position? Sure. But never of _him_.

"I'm not afraid of you." she assured him quietly, still worrying her lip between her teeth. "B-but what's going to happen to her?" Gajeel stared at her firmly for a long moment before giving her a gentle smile.

"Absolutely nothing." he shrugged easily, surprising her. "Levy, she's not gonna be hurt, even if they don't meet their quota next month. But... they don't need ta know that." he chuckled lightly, giving her a reassuring smile. "Someone's gonna watch her. She's gonna be fed and cared for. She might be a bit shaken up from the experience, but I gave strict orders to make sure she's not harmed. I only had her taken to prove a point and remind them that I'm not someone they should fuck with."

"But what happens if they don't meet their quota? Will you still return her?" Levy asked.

"Not right away. They'll have another meeting with me before I make a decision. But the girl won't be hurt. She's only sixteen. I ain't gonna punish her for her father's mistakes." he promised gently. "Worst case scenario, she goes home to her mother safe and sound... without a father. But I don't see that happening. This guy's a family guy. He'll do whatever it takes to protect his little girl. Even if he fails to meet his quota, he'll be begging for another chance just as long as his daughter is safe. He plays his cards right, she'll go home with him after that meeting." He smiled at seeing the relief filling Levy's eyes. He knew why she was so worried about the girl. She'd likely put herself in the owner's shoes, with _their_ baby girl on the line. He'd done the same, when he'd decided to use the girl this way, and he knew he'd do whatever it took to get his daughter back safe and sound. He was banking on this man doing the same.

"Feel better, shrimp?" Gajeel asked softly after a moment. She nodded. She did feel a lot better, knowing that the girl, at least, wasn't going to be hurt over her father's mistakes. Of course, she doubted Gajeel would do something like that, anyways. He was cruel, but not as heartless as he often appeared... and he had a soft spot for young women. Not to mention, he'd soon be a father, too. He knew how precious a daughter was, and he knew he'd never be able to kill a daughter just to get at her father. A son? Perhaps. It depended on the situation, of course. But never a daughter.

"Can we go eat? Please?" Levy asked her husband, feeling her stomach starting to rumble. Gajeel chuckled softly and stood with a nod. He helped her out of her chair, smiling a bit despite her struggling. It was cute, seeing her pout at the fact that she now needed help standing and sitting. She could do it on her own, of course, but much slower than usual because of her stomach. Gajeel just smiled and was always ready to help her, without even being asked. Once she was on her feet, he pulled her into his arms with a gentle embrace.

"Shrimp, don't ever be afraid of me. Okay?" he sighed into her hair as she returned the embrace. "Even when I do scary things. Even when I'm cruel to people. You know damn well I'll never be that way with you, right?"

"I know." she nodded against him, sighing happily as she felt him run his fingers through her hair. "I'll never be afraid of you, Gajeel. I promise. I love you."

"I love you, too, shrimp." he smiled, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Now c'mon. I'm hungry, too. And yer eatin for two now. Lunch time."

* * *

I'm so glad I got such a big response after last chapter. For the record, I didn't mean to sound as depressed as I did in my note. Sorry if I worried y'all. But I'm glad to see that my story isn't getting stale or boring or anything like that.

Anyways, I felt like I was drifting away from the whole mafia thing a little, so this chapter was just kind of a reminder that the mafia is really scary and really dangerous, hehe. Also! The title of this chapter is a callback to an earlier chapter. Tell me if you can guess which one it is! (It's pretty easy to tell tbh, just look at the titles lol)

Thanks for reading, and please tell me what you think! I love your suggestions and even your criticisms. They really do help determine the flow of the story, you know. For example: honestly Levy was gonna get pregnant way earlier than she did, originally, but a lot of you wanted that to wait a bit lol. And I feel like this is a better story now, because I pushed it back a bit. Truly, you guys really do help make this story work.

Anyways, thanks again.

-Nerdy12


	78. Revelation

**Chapter 78**

"Rose Marie."

"Sounds like Rosemary..."

"What's wrong with that? Rosemary sounds pretty, too."

"She's not an herb, shrimp. Vetoed. How about Anne Marie?"

"No. Tracy Anne?"

"Nah. Stacy?"

"I don't like Stacy." Levy sighed as she played with her husband's hair. "Lacey?"

"Sounds like a dog's name." Gajeel scoffed, snuggling further into his little wife's arms as his head rested on her chest. He gently rubbed her stomach, where he could feel their daughter kicking against his palm. They were lying in bed together, and it was well past midnight. But Levy was having trouble sleeping because the baby was being too active. Being the good husband he was, Gajeel was staying awake with her until she could fall asleep again. "Liza?"

"My mother's name?" Levy tilted her head in surprise.

"I like Elizabeth. Could call her Liza for short." Gajeel said around a yawn.

"That's sweet." Levy giggled cutely. "But I'm honestly not a big fan of Elizabeth." Gajeel just hummed against her. "What was your mother's name?"

"Emily." He sighed softly against his wife. Mavis, she was using her nails to scratch his head and it felt so fucking nice. "Emily May Redfox."

"What was she like?" Levy asked quietly. She'd not heard much about Gajeel's mother, but she'd seen a few pictures. She was tall and slender, but still quite small compared to someone like Metalicana. But then again, Metalicana towered over everyone, even Gajeel, and his bulky frame only made him seem even larger. She had a gentle face, which helped soften Metalicana's harsh features in Gajeel, and she was where Gajeel got his unruly black hair from. Her hair had been long and wavy, reaching almost to her knees. Gajeel had gotten his sharp, angular eyes from his father, but the coloration from his mother. Her eyes were large and gentle and full of life. Every picture Levy had seen, she'd been smiling as if she was the happiest woman in the world.

"She was incredible." The honesty in Gajeel's voice made her smile. "Everyone loved her. She was the nicest person to ever walk the earth, I think. Always went around helping people, doing charity work." He paused and took a deep breath. "She was the best mother I could have ever asked for. I went to her anytime something was bugging me, and she always made me feel better. She didn't baby me or anything... but she was understanding and caring."

"How did she... um, you know..."

"Die?" Gajeel sighed. "She... got sick. Leukemia. I was twelve when she passed." Levy felt his grip on her tighten slightly. "I didn't understand back then. I just knew she was sick. But I thought she'd get better. And then one day... my old man rushed me to the hospital. And I saw her hooked up to all kinds of machines and she looked so... it was bad, shrimp." He breathed out shakily as he recalled that horrible day. "But she put on a big smile for me and my old man... gave us both this big hug that was way stronger than it should have been for as weak as she was. I remember her shaking. She was scared. She didn't want to go. But she knew she was leaving and she just... smiled and said it was okay and that she loved us so much. And then she was gone and..." And Gajeel was crying now...

He didn't talk about his mother much for a reason. It still hurt him deeply to dig up those memories. He cried against his wife's chest, holding her and their unborn daughter close as his silent tears fell. Levy hugged him tightly, sniffling as she cried her own tears. She could feel his pain as if it were her own, and she felt so truly horrible for him. She'd been too young to fully understand her parents' deaths but Gajeel... he was old enough to know what death was... and he'd had to watch his mother go right in front of him.

They stayed that way for a time, even after their tears had dried. They just held each other close and clung to the comfort the other provided. Gajeel knew Levy had never actually seen him cry before, but he couldn't bring himself to care. This was his wife. He could be... vulnerable around her. He could be weak around her. And she consoled him just like he would have consoled her if their positions were reversed. He found himself thinking just how lucky he was to have her in his life. He'd be lost without her.

"Emma." Levy's quiet voice broke the long silence, and Gajeel looked up at her in question. She gave him a small, gentle smile. "Emma Leigh Redfox."

"After my mother?" Gajeel asked in awe. Levy nodded. It wasn't an exact name match, but it honored his mother perfectly, and it was a beautiful name. But... "Are you sure?"

"I was thinking of it before... and I really loved it. I love it even more now." she nodded happily. She'd been looking at baby girl names for weeks, ever since they found out the gender, and Emma Leigh had been in her top three since she came across it. It was cute and a modern version of Emily. What's more, she adored the name Emma on its own. Now that it could be used to honor Gajeel's mother... oh, she knew it was the perfect name for their baby girl. And Gajeel's bright smile told her that he loved it, too.

"Emma Redfox. Emma Leigh Redfox." he tested the name out. "Emma." Yes, he was in love with it, too. "Shrimp, you're fucking perfect, you know that?" Levy giggled lightly at him, but it ended in a quiet yawn. Gajeel smiled lightly at this, noticing the taps against his palm had stopped. "She's stopped kicking. Think you can sleep now?"

"I sure hope so." Levy sighed, snuggling further into the pillows surrounding them. "Lucy and Juvia are coming over for breakfast. I'm going to tell them about the baby... about Emma."

"Finally done avoiding them, huh?" Gajeel sighed with a smile. She nodded sleepily. "They'll understand, shrimp. Don't worry."

"I know." she sighed back, her eyes starting to droop. "Gajeel... thank you for telling me about your mother. I know it had to be hard to talk about."

"It is... she would have loved you, you know." he told his wife quietly. He knew without a doubt that his mother would have adored Levy, and that she was smiling down at them from heaven.

"I would have loved to meet her." Levy sighed happily, hugging her husband's head gently. "Good night, Gajeel. I love you."

"I love you, too, shrimp."

* * *

"Oh! S-sorry, boss, we didn't know you'd still be here." Lucy apologized, surprised when Gajeel was the one to open the door to their suite that morning. It was so odd, seeing the boss in anything but a suit these days. He was wearing some lounge pants and a tight black tank-top, and he looked like he'd just woken up... which was odd, because he usually was in his office by now.

"I'm fixin ta leave soon." Gajeel said around a yawn. "Come on in. Shrimp's almost done cookin." He gestured for Lucy and Juvia to come inside, and then he closed the door and walked off to go get changed. Since nothing big was going on, aside from the whole serial killer thing that was being worked on, and he had no appointments today, he could go into his office whenever he liked to do his paperwork. After staying up late last night, he'd thought it was a good idea to sleep in a bit.

"Hi, guys!" Levy cheered happily from the kitchen as the girls approached. She was cooking at the stove that was in the island in the kitchen, so her lower half was hidden fairly well, and she planned to keep it that way until it was time for the reveal. "Make yourselves comfortable. Breakfast is almost ready."

"It smells delicious." Juvia hummed in delight as she helped the heavily pregnant Lucy to sit down at the dining table. She was about seven months along now, and it was getting very difficult for her to sit and stand. Levy was starting to relate.

"Mavis, you weren't kidding about the renovations, Levy. It looks gorgeous in here." Lucy said in awe as she looked around. It looked like a house, even though it was really two combined suites in the middle of a large mansion. It was homely, and Levy's touch was everywhere from the paintings on the walls to the small bookshelves scattered about. It was really nice.

"Thank you. Oh, the designer did such a wonderful job." Levy smiled brightly. She absolutely loved the suite now. It felt like a home... and that's what it was now. Their home. "And Gajeel, he was so thoughtful! He had them put in a reading room for me."

"Aw, that's so sweet of him." The girls crooned together.

"Oi, oi! Don't go tellin people I'm sweet. I got a reputation to uphold, ya know." Gajeel grumbled lightly when he walked out of their bedroom, fully dressed in a suit and fixing his tie. He frowned at Lucy and Juvia. "That ain't leavin this room, got it?" he warned lightly. The girls giggled but nodded. They, of course, knew how Gajeel was around Levy, having basically watched the entirety of their relationship from the beginning. Gajeel rolled his eyes as he approached his wife. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss, ignoring the 'awws' coming from Lucy and Juvia. "I'll be back around lunch, shrimp. You know where ta find me if ya need me." he told her softly. Levy smiled with a small blush and nodded. One more soft kiss, and Gajeel was heading out the door.

"He's really mellowed out." Lucy giggled when the Don was gone. "I never thought I'd see the day he became a doting husband."

"Juvia always hoped he would find his match." Juvia added with a smile. She'd been in the family the longest out of all of them, and had grown up with Gajeel, Natsu, Gray, and the others. She'd always been friends with Gajeel, it seemed, and she was so happy that he'd found his happiness.

"Breakfast is ready." Levy hummed, looking into the dining room. "But I need you guys to do me a favor before I serve it." This earned some confused looks, but they nodded. "Close your eyes, please." She waited until they were closed before approaching the dining room. She set their plates down in front of them, then took a step back, shifting nervously. "Okay, now... don't hate me for this... but open your eyes, please." She requested. Confused, the girls did as told, their eyes first landing on their plates of food. Why would food make them hate her? They looked to Levy in question, and their eyes went wide at what they saw.

Levy Redfox stood in front of them, wearing a light-blue blouse and a white skirt. The blouse was tight... and it very clearly showed off her prominent baby belly. She was so obviously pregnant...

"I... uh, I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys." Levy said quietly when shocked silence prevailed. "B-but I couldn't tell anyone, even you. It's dangerous for me... i-if any of Gajeel's enemies learns about this... I'll be in danger. I'm so sorry, guys."

"I... L-Levy, we understand. This is just... wow. This is a big shock." Lucy was the first one to find her voice. They understood, of course, why they weren't told. They'd even expected something like this to happen if and when she did get pregnant, just because of who her husband was. But that didn't make it any less shocking to find out about it.

"Oh, Levy is having a baby!" Juvia found her voice now, and she squealed happily. "Juvia is so happy for you!"

"How far are you?" Lucy asked, her shock dissolving and a smile coming to her face. Her best friend was having her first baby! And shortly after Lucy had her baby, it seemed.

"A little over five months." Levy smiled in relief upon finding that they weren't mad. She put her hands on her stomach lovingly. "It's... it's a girl. We're having a little girl."

"How wonderful! Oh, what joy!" Juvia sang, bouncing in her seat with her joy.

"I'm so happy for you." Lucy smiled, opening her arms to Levy, who giggled and accepted the hug from her friend. Juvia joined in happily. When the hug ended, they started breakfast, talking nonstop about babies as they ate happily. Levy could only smile from ear to ear, overjoyed to finally be able to talk to her friends about this. About her baby.

About Emma.

* * *

A nice long chapter for my lovely readers, yay. I love the very detailed reviews I'm getting lately. Honestly, I'm surprised at how much some people are analyzing this story and all the character growth, but I find it so flattering! Especially since you guys are picking up on subtle things I've been trying to do, like making Gajeel seem more mature and such. I'm really so happy you guys pick up on these things! And I love the analyses!

Please continue telling me what you think! The last thing I want is to grow stale here, hehe.

Oh, and that reminds me. I still want to stick to the Monday/Thursday updates. However, I do need to take a small break here. I'm falling behind due to my busy work schedule, and I just did a huge overhaul of what I'd already written down... so I basically lost about ten chapters. No worries, what I have planned is much better than what I was first working on. I do this a lot. But this was the biggest overhaul I've done in a while and it really put me behind.

So, yeah, I'm gonna disappear for a short time. No longer than three weeks, promise! If I don't post anything by mid-august, spam me with PMs, okay?

Anyways, thanks for reading! Thanks for all your support! I'll be back before you know it!

-Nerdy12


	79. Elusive

**Chapter 79**

"He's far more elusive than we thought he'd be." Igneel sighed heavily. His men had been scouring the city for this serial killer, to no avail. They got close a few times, but whoever he was, he always slipped away.

"The police have made him a top priority. He's gotten ten women now, all found dead within a few hours of going missing." Gildarts added. "Talking to the family members doesn't give us much. Nobody had approached them, tried to make them pay protection money to anyone else. Nobody new has entered their lives. Nothing."

"Has anyone not associated with the family been taken?" Gajeel asked them grimly. This was bad. Every week, it seemed, there was another loss. Even with orders for everyone to keep a close eye on their family members and have a weapon on them at all times.

"No. They've all had ties to us." Gildarts answered.

"Is there a trend? Anything? The kind of work their fathers or husbands do, how the women look, where they live? Anything?"

"They've all been young. In their early twenties." Gildarts sighed, looking through his notes. "Aside from that... nothing. Their connection to the family varies. We've had business owners who pay protection money, low-ranking members of the family, civilians in the know... and they've been all over the city."

"So this guy's not after money. He hasn't contacted any of the victim's families, hasn't tried to ransom the victims." Gajeel sighed. It wasn't someone trying to move in on their turf. But this might as well be worse. He was singling out their people. "This could be... what? Revenge? Someone that hates us and is targeting whoever he can get? Or maybe he's trying to undermine us. Make our people think we can't protect them."

"Aye. It could be any of that." Igneel sighed.

"The question is: how do they know who to target?" Gildarts asked with a deep frown. "Our people know better than to reveal their connections to us. Some of the victims didn't even know their family had connections to us."

"I smell a traitor." Gajeel growled coldly. "It's either one of ours, or one of ours has been providing information." The other two nodded in agreement. It was the only explanation. "Do a sweep of the family. Bring anyone suspicious to me personally. You know what to do."

"Yes, sir." They nodded together before standing and excusing themselves. Gajeel growled as he glared at the wall across from him. Another traitor in the family. Damn it all.

A soft knock on his office door got his attention. He recognized the way the person knocked, and he gave a soft sigh. "Come in, shrimp." His door opened and his small wife peeked into the office to make sure he was alone. Then the rest of her came into the office. Gajeel's eyes softened as he looked her over. She was wearing a really cute pink sun dress today, and it really showed off her baby bump. As cute as she looked, she did worry him a bit. "Nobody saw ya, did they?"

"No." Levy shook her head. "Lily walked with me and made sure nobody saw me." she assured him with a small smile. While she'd been able to tell Lucy and Juvia about her pregnancy, the rest of the family was still in the dark... and would be until after the baby came. Even the guards couldn't know she was pregnant. "Wendy just left. Little Emma is doing just fine." She smiled at her husband, holding out a small piece of paper. He took it and smiled when he realized it was an ultrasound picture of their little daughter.

"She's gettin big, huh?" Gajeel grinned at the picture. He couldn't wait to meet his daughter, to finally hold her in his arms. "How'd ya get this, though? Thought those ultrasound machines were huge."

"She brought a portable one." Levy giggled. "They just issued new, upgraded ones at the hospital. Latest technology. You should have seen it; it was really impressive."

"I bet." Gajeel chuckled at her excitement.

"Are you done with work yet?" his little wife asked then, a plea in her voice. She wanted to spend time with him, and had been rather clingy lately. There'd been a few times he'd still had a lot of work left... and she'd freaking burst into tears at this and claim he didn't love her because she was fat and ugly now, otherwise he would spend time with her. He knew, of course, that it was just her hormones making her more sensitive... but he hated seeing her cry. So he'd been trying awful hard lately to finish his work early so he could spend time with her. And avoid all the tears.

"If ya can gimme a half hour, shrimp, I'll be done. Promise." he told her gently. She pouted a bit, but thankfully didn't cry. Usually she wouldn't get too hormonal about it if he appealed to her logic or offered a kind of compromise. In this case, give him just a little longer, and she'd have him to herself for the rest of the day. She nodded easily enough and he smiled. "Why don't ya get a nice hot bath going, huh? I'll join you, and we can be lazy today."

"That sounds nice." Levy perked up at this. She pressed a happy kiss to his lips and headed for the door. "Thirty minutes?"

"Thirty minutes." he nodded, gently shooing her out the door. She smiled and left him to his work, and he gave a heavy sigh as he thought about what to do with this serial killer. Someone in the family was a traitor...

And traitors were extremely dangerous.

* * *

I'm back! Well, not completely. Still haven't caught up enough to resume the Monday/Thursday updates. I'm working on it, I promise! At the very least I will try to do weekly updates until I get caught up again. I'm just waiting for inspiration to hit me. Usually, when that happens, I'll get a lot of work done all at once.

Anyways, please tell me what you think!

Thanks for reading, and see you soon!

-Nerdy12


	80. Arch-11 Developments

**Chapter 80**

It was nearly midnight when loud knocks woke Gajeel and Levy. Gajeel was out of bed instantly, knowing there were only a few reasons anyone would be disturbing them this late at night. He gave Levy a firm look, silently telling her to stay in bed, as he grabbed his pistol and tucked it into the elastic band of the sweatpants he usually wore to bed. He didn't bother putting a shirt on, knowing that this was urgent and needed his immediate attention. Igneel and Natsu were at his door, both fully dressed and wide awake.

"Boss, we got him." Natsu spoke first.

"Got who?"

"The traitor. Killer is still on the loose." Igneel supplied. "It was one of the guys that joined with that merger... from the McGarden family."

"What?!" Gajeel growled. "Who?" Dammit, it had better not be Jet or Droy. As much as he disliked them, he knew it would crush his wife if he had to kill one of them. And he didn't think they were stupid enough to cross him like this.

"Not who you're thinking, boss. Don't worry." Natsu said, knowing what Gajeel was thinking. He, too, was glad it wasn't Jet or Droy. They weren't bad people; they'd just made mistakes. "I've never met this guy. He worked in communications under Jet and Droy, and was switched over to guard duty for the safe house. We think he got information from our computers there."

"Shit." Gajeel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Natsu, go get those two idiots and bring them here. I don't think they had anything to do with this, but we need to be sure." Natsu nodded and hurried off to do as ordered, and Gajeel looked to Igneel. "Get any information from this guy?"

"He's been silent since we got him to the mansion. Gray is working on an interrogation, but he's not talking."

"How'd ya get him?"

"Put up a new security system in all the family's computers. A silent alarm was tripped when access codes were overridden instead of put in. Found the guy in the safe house, still looking up targets." Igneel explained, and Gajeel realized he didn't give the man enough credit. That was an extremely brilliant move. "Gildarts is on his way. So's yer father."

"Alright. Go keep an eye on him. I'm gonna get dressed." Gajeel sighed, dismissing Igneel. He returned to the bedroom and went straight for the closet, ignoring Levy's questioning look in favor of getting dressed. He made sure to put on a suit he didn't mind getting dirty, because it was very likely he was going to take over the interrogation once he got down to the basement.

"Gajeel?" Levy asked quietly when he finished dressing. He walked back to their bed and sat down next to his wife. She looked worried, and he figured she probably heard him sounding angry when he was talking to Natsu and Igneel. She likely didn't hear the conversation, otherwise she would have said something about Jet and Droy by now.

"Shrimp, try to get some more sleep, okay? I'm gonna send Lily to watch after ya for a while."

"But..."

"Just go to sleep. Please. I'll tell ya what's going on in the morning." He sighed softly, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. She bit her lip after the kiss and gave a slow nod. He smiled lightly at this and pressed another kiss to her temple before he stood and left. He dialed Lily's number as he walked towards the basement, and told him to go watch Levy for a few hours. Don't let her leave the suite, just in case. Lily said he'd be there in a few minutes. Luckily he lived in the mansion, with his own suite closer to the guard barracks. Gajeel could rest easy knowing his wife and unborn daughter would be safe while he was taking care of business.

* * *

"Lily, do you know what's going on?" Levy asked, hurrying towards him when he entered the suite. She'd been unable to go back to sleep, and had decided to make some tea. She had a cute pink kimono-style robe on over her nightgown, and she'd barely been able to tie it shut due to her growing belly. Her hair was a mess and she looked sleep and very worried. This wasn't the first time Gajeel had left in the middle of the night, but it was the first time someone had come to their suite specifically to get him. Usually, it was a phone call that pulled him away... but tonight it was far too urgent to bother using a phone.

"No idea." Lily sighed, giving the worried woman a gentle hug. "But Gajeel sounded calm on the phone. Everything is probably alright. Please try to relax. It's not good for the baby if you're stressing out." He gently urged her to sit on the couch, helping her sit down when she struggled a bit. "Do you need anything?"

"Could you grab my tea off the counter please?" Levy gave a tiny smile to him. "I made some coffee for you. It should be done brewing soon."

"Ah, thank you." Lily smiled, moving to fetch her tea for her. He noticed it was chamomile, and he chuckled a bit. "Having trouble sleeping?"

"Well of course. Gajeel up and leaves in the middle of the night, sounding angry and not telling me what's going on... how can I sleep after that?" She sighed heavily, accepting the cup from him. He moved to make himself a cup of coffee, knowing it was going to be a few hours before Gajeel returned.

"He was angry? What about?"

"I don't know. I couldn't hear what he was saying, just the tone of his voice." Levy frowned. She'd tried to listen in on the conversation, but she had struggled getting out of bed. The conversation ended just as she got out of bed, and she decided to return to bed before Gajeel returned to the room. She sighed softly as she thought about it. She wanted to know what was going on, and he would usually just tell her. But this time he hadn't told her. Maybe it was just because it was urgent? He didn't have time to explain? She hoped that's all it was. She'd hate it if he started to hide things from her again 'for her safety.' She thought they were well past that. She was definitely in too deep to not know what was going on.

"I'm sure everything's fine." Lily tried to assure her. "Perhaps something urgent came up, but I don't think there is anything to worry about."

"I hope not." she sighed, taking a sip of her tea. "I'm going to stay up for him."

"Levy, you should really sleep." Lily tried to urge but she waved him off.

"I'm fine. I can't sleep, even if I wanted to. The baby's kicking my ribs." she huffed a bit, rubbing her stomach. "I'll be fine, Lily. I just... want to wait for him."

* * *

Gajeel returned to the suite several hours later, tired and covered in blood after 'interrogating' the traitor. He ended up being the only guy to not get the memo when McGarden and Fairy Tail merged: skip town or join Fairy Tail. He didn't know he had the choice, and was extremely resentful of that. He was trying to undermine Fairy Tail's authority and power in an attempt to seek revenge. He was good at hacking, and found suitable targets, but he didn't have the balls to actually go after the targets he found. Apparently, he had this in his head for a good while but couldn't actually do anything about it. And then he was approached by a stranger, who had been watching him for a while. They teamed up for this.

The traitor revealed that much. But damn it all, he refused to say who the actual killer was. Or if the killer knew about any more targets. Gajeel had beaten him within an inch of his life when he realized he wouldn't be getting the info he needed.

Gajeel partially blamed Jet and Droy for this. It was their responsibility to communicate with their family, when the merger was going on, after all. But, to be fair, they did announce it at a big family gathering where every member was required to show up. The guy either didn't attend or didn't pay attention and, since very few people chose not to join Fairy Tail, nobody really talked about the choice.

The Don had since ordered that every former McGarden family member be interviewed to make sure they understood they weren't being forced to stay. Luckily, Gajeel made sure that these members didn't have much access to sensitive information. The ones that did had already been interviewed by Gajeel, himself, and put through training. The rest? Well, they had guard access at most.

As for the traitor... well, obviously, he was going to die. A slow and painful death. With every victim's family watching... no, with the whole family watching, maybe? Gajeel was still trying to decide how to do it. It was a traitor, and he wanted to make an example of him... but he didn't want the family to fear him like that. They would fear that any small infraction would be seen as treachery. Gajeel didn't want that. Perhaps just the victims' families, after all.

But nothing like that would happen until they found the killer. That was Fairy Tail's top priority now.

Lily nodded at him when he walked into the living room. Gajeel nodded back, before spotting his wife sleeping on the couch. He raised a brow at Lily.

"She wanted to wait for you. I couldn't convince her to go back to bed." Lily sighed softly, shaking his head as he looked at the sleeping Levy. He'd tried several times to get her to bed, but she was a very stubborn woman.

"Sounds like something she'd do." Gajeel sighed, knowing she'd likely been worried since he left. And his wife was nothing, if not stubborn. "I got it from here, Lil. Go sleep."

"Yes, sir." Lily said in relief. He was exhausted. He nodded once more to Gajeel before leaving to catch up on his sleep. Gajeel waited until he was gone before walking over to where Levy was sleeping.

"Shrimp, that doesn't look comfortable at all." he sighed softly, knowing she was likely to have a pain in her neck the next morning because she was using the armrest as a pillow. He reached out and gently scooped his pregnant wife up into his arms. Even with the added weight of the baby, she was still quite light in his arms, and he carried her with ease. She whined cutely at being disturbed but didn't wake up as he carried her back to bed. He made sure she was comfortable in bed before heading to take a shower. He needed to get all this dried blood off.

Mavis, the blood was caked on pretty good. Gajeel was scrubbing at his arm when he heard his little wife step into the bathroom, having woken up after hearing the shower start. He turned an unamused stare to her when she opened the shower door.

"Levy, go back to sleep." he frowned at her. She looked so tired, and he just wanted her to get some rest. But she shook her head defiantly, looking him over. He didn't bother trying to hide all the blood on his hands, which he was trying to scrub off. She was used to it by now, and it no longer scared her. She was just glad none of the blood was his.

"Can I join?" she asked quietly. Gajeel just sighed softly and nodded. If she wasn't going to sleep, she might as well join. She quickly pulled off her nightgown and got into the shower with him, and he couldn't help but stare at her with soft eyes as he looked her over. She was quite heavily pregnant now, in the middle of her sixth month. Her very round stomach got in the way a lot, but he absolutely loved it. He couldn't wait to meet their little girl... and seeing her like this only reminded him of how important it was to keep her safe, especially with this killer still on the loose.

Levy took his hand after a few minutes, and started helping him scrub all the blood away. They were silent as they both worked on getting rid of all the blood. When it was all gone, Levy looked up at her husband, her eyes asking the question she didn't need to voice. What happened?

"We had another traitor." Gajeel sighed softly, pulling his wife into his arms. "He was working with the serial killer we've been trying to catch. Caught the traitor, but the killer's still on the loose."

"Maybe the traitor being caught will scare the killer off?" Levy questioned hopefully. The whole city has been scared since this killer came around. Very few people knew the victims were part of Fairy Tail, so the entire city, basically, was on lock-down.

"Don't want him to run off." Gajeel said quietly. "We need ta kill him. Or he's just gonna keep killing people. If not here, then elsewhere." Levy nodded somberly at this. She'd not thought of that. "I'm workin on it, shrimp. Don't worry." he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "We'll get him. I swear."

* * *

I don't have much to say for this chapter, but I hope you guys liked it! I'm trying to get back into the M/TH updates, but I still don't have enough chapters written in advance. That said, today is my last day of work for the summer, and I have a week to myself before I move back to school... so keep your fingers crossed and ask for my muse to return to me next week lol.

Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think! Getting 3 comments on my return is a bit disheartening. I know some of you probably just didn't know I came back, but still...

-Nerdy12


	81. Proposal

**Chapter 81**

"What are we even doing here?" Jet grumbled as he sipped at his beer, trying to ignore the bar fight going on behind them.

"Getting a drink, I thought." Droy sighed into his own drink. "Drowning in sorrows?"

"No, I mean _here_. Magnolia." Jet corrected with a huff. "Why are we even here? We're clearly not needed anymore. The Don would probably like us to leave, anyways."

"But... Levy." Droy frowned. They were staying for Levy's sake... or so he thought. Did Jet not think she was important anymore?

"We don't even get to be in the same room with her." Jet scoffed at that. "What's the point in staying for someone we can't even be friends with anymore? Face it, Droy, we're not wanted here. Nobody trusts us! We can't even find jobs to do to gain their trust, because the Don hates us... which means they all hate us. We might as well just leave." He said bitterly before returning to his drink. Droy just sulked in silence. It was true. They couldn't even find work in the family, because Gajeel's distrust of them had spread down the ranks to even the lowest level captains. They couldn't help the family, even if they wanted to. So what was the point in staying?

The two men sat there in silence, sulking over their predicament... wondering what their next move should be. Stay with the family... or leave?

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear... I might have an _interesting_ proposal for you guys..."

* * *

"Boss." Natsu called out as he caught Gajeel heading back to his suite for the day. Gajeel turned and raised a studded brow at Natsu as he came closer. "Boss, Droy's at the gate, begging to see you. He said he won't leave until he talks to you."

"He's gonna get the same answer he always does." Gajeel scoffed, turning and continuing on his way back to his room. He had to give Jet and Droy one thing: they were persistent. But he'd had a long day and certainly did not want to deal with them right now. Not to mention, Levy was waiting on him, likely with dinner ready. "Tell him I said no. This ain't worth my time."

"But, boss... he's... he's acting strange. I don't think he wants to talk about Levy." Natsu followed him with a frown. "I saw him, boss. He's frantic out there." This made Gajeel pause and give him a curious look.

"If it were Jet that wouldn't be weird... but yer sure this is Droy?"

"I'm positive." Natsu nodded. "Just Droy. There's no sign of Jet. And I got a bad feeling as soon as I saw him. I think something's happened." Gajeel thought on this for a moment before giving a heavy sigh. Natsu had a bad feeling about this, and Droy was acting out of the ordinary. It would be best if he saw him and figured out what the hell was going on.

"Alright, send him to my office. And have Lily tell Levy I'm gonna be late to dinner." He sighed, heading back toward his office. Natsu nodded and took off running for the gate. A few minutes later found Gajeel sitting at his desk, staring at a very nervous Droy, who was twisting his hands nervously. "Spit it out, Droy. Why did ya need to see me?" Gajeel sighed.

"I, well... boss, I think we found the serial killer." Droy admitted, earning wide eyes from Gajeel. And then his eyes narrowed at Droy.

"Tell me _everything._ "

* * *

"I might have an interesting proposal for you guys." The words had both Jet and Droy turning around with raised brows. They were surprised to find a young, rather effeminate, man standing behind them with an easygoing smile on his face. Shaggy black hair with white accents framed his face, but Droy felt a chill go through him when he noticed the man's eyes. They were nearly solid black, and he felt like the man was peering into his soul.

"What kind of proposal?" Jet sounded intrigued, and Droy glanced at him warily. Why would he be interested in what this stranger had to say?

"You seem... _bitter_ towards a certain group, one we should not name in public. One that practically rules this city." the man grinned knowingly at them, making it clear that he knew who they worked for. "You can't find work with them, because you are hated. You're going to run out of money eventually, and then what? Starve? Will you just leave Magnolia? _They_ don't like defectors very much. You know they'll track you down." The man shook his head wryly. "But I have a solution for you. A way to make money and ruffle their feathers a bit in revenge. And they'll never know it was you."

"What are you getting at?" Droy asked hesitantly, but Jet had caught on.

"Are you... offering us a job?" he asked, watching as the man grinned widely at him.

"I am, indeed. Nothing big, really. I just need information. But the pay... well, that will be worth your while." He paused and looked between them with a grin. "Interested?"

* * *

"I told him I would think about it, but I'm just a grunt. Not good with information." Droy admitted to Gajeel. "But Jet... he went with him to learn more. He's still there. I came over here as fast as I could."

"Jet went with him?" Gajeel growled, clenching his fists angrily. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. Jet had valuable information on the family, from guard rotations to where he and Levy laid their heads. He knew the kind of weapons they had, and a rough estimate of how many guards were in the mansion at any given time. If Jet betrayed them...

"It's not what you think!" Droy protested, catching on to the Don's line of thinking. "Boss, I know him better than anyone! Sure, he's bitter... but not _that_ bitter! And we both care so much for Levy. We'd never put her in any kind of danger."

"How do I know he's not betrayed us?" Gajeel growled, glaring sharply at Droy. "He has motive! He has information! And now he has a chance!"

"And he's not stupid!" Droy countered. "I was with him, Boss. He knew I was going to come here right away. Why would he still agree, if he knew I'd tell you what he was doing? He's not betraying us. He's getting information!" This made Gajeel pause for a moment. He thought on this with a scowl. Droy did have a point. Jet and Droy were so close. They knew each other well enough to know how the other would react in situations like this. Jet would surely know Droy would come right away to tell him what was going on. He would be apprehended the instant he was spotted by a Fairy Tail member, and brought before Gajeel and likely killed. Letting Droy leave that bar alive would have been a huge mistake if he really wanted to betray Fairy Tail. But he let Droy leave, and didn't even hint that Droy had intention to and would even be able to talk to Gajeel. Droy left that bar, and the mystery man just thought he was a wimp... and not a threat.

"I'm still doubtful, but... that makes sense." Gajeel sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm still going to issue an order to have him captured on sight. Not killed. We need to know any information he gets." He sighed, watching as relief filled Droy's eyes. But then Gajeel narrowed his eyes at him with a serious glare again. "Don't be breathing easy just yet. Yer a suspect, too. And if I find out either one of ya betrayed Fairy Tail..." he growled out angrily at Droy, "your relationship to my wife won't mean a damn thing. I _will_ kill you."

"I... I understand." Droy gulped with a shaky nod. "I swear, boss... we'd never hurt Levy in any way, and hurting Fairy Tail hurts Levy. We... we know that."

"Good. But yer still gonna be watched." Gajeel sighed, pressing a button on his office phone. A page. Natsu entered the room a few seconds later and gave a polite nod to the Don. "Take him to the safe house and wait there. Take a small squad of men with ya, too, and keep a close eye on him. And spread this order. I want Jet brought before me the instant he's seen. _Alive_ , got it?" Gajeel commanded.

"Yes, boss." Natsu nodded firmly, gesturing for Droy to come with him. Gajeel's voice stopped Droy at the door.

"I really hope yer right, Droy. Levy would hate me if I had ta kill you guys." Gajeel sighed heavily. "Don't make me do that to her."

"We won't. I swear we won't." Droy promised. The don remained silent after that, and Droy followed Natsu out of the office.

Gajeel sat there alone, for a while, trying to figure out how he was going to explain this to his wife. He wasn't even sure he _should_ tell her what was going on yet. She didn't need this kind of stress while she was so heavily pregnant. He worried she might be sent into an early labor if Jet and Droy really did end up being traitors. But she would be angry if she found out he hid this from her.

Gajeel sighed heavily and stood up to leave his office. He was going to tell her. Everything. As gently as possible. Because she deserved to know. But he would also tell her, once again, that he would do anything to protect her and their baby girl...

...even kill her friends, if he had to.

 _He just prayed it wouldn't come to that._

* * *

So I got a few more chapters made out, not many but enough to post another one for you guys. Yay! I might not post on Thursday, as I'm still trying to catch up, but you will at the very least be getting weekly updates for now.

Anyways, please, please tell me what you think! I really do read every single comment and I love hearing from my readers. All the positive feedback makes me gush and blush and squeal and just feel really fucking happy. Idk what it is but reading all these lovely comments gives me some kind of high and it makes me feel important lol. Plus your opinions really matter to me, and your reactions really do help shape this story in a lot of ways. I would have ended this story by now if not for the inspiration and feedback I've gotten from my lovely fans! Love you guys!

Okay, sappy time over. Sorry, I'm just in a great mood today haha.

Anyways, thank you so much for reading!

As always,

-Nerdy12


	82. Blood

**Chapter 82**

"What took so long? I was starting to worry." Levy moved into his arms as quickly as she could, given her reduced speed and giant belly. Gajeel embraced her lightly, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. She'd been a little worry-wort lately, and Wendy had told him it was normal hormonal stuff. Levy was worried about giving birth, and this worry was reflecting onto other aspects of her life, particularly Gajeel.

"Something came up as I was leaving." Gajeel told her gently. "I'll tell you about it after dinner. I just want to relax for a bit first."

"Okay." Levy nodded, understanding. He'd been stressed with work lately, what with that serial killer still plaguing the family. The killings had slowed since the traitor was found, but it was clear the killer still had information on a few more suspects. Gajeel had told Levy he would be looking for ways to get information on more potential victims, since he was clearly still sticking around. The family was on high alert because of this, and Gajeel was busy trying to keep his family safe at all costs. "I made pasta. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is, shrimp." he smiled lightly at her. "I love yer cooking, no matter what ya make." He loved seeing her eyes light up happily at the praise. She smiled and left his arms to plate their food, waddling away as quickly as she could. Gajeel just watched with an amused grin, loving that little pregnancy waddle she had. She was at the tail end of her seventh month now, and they were getting closer and closer to meeting their little girl.

Lucy was about ready to pop, being a bit further along than Levy. It looked as if she might have to give birth in the mansion, seeing as the killer was still out and about. Wendy vowed to come to the mansion quickly should that happen. And Levy and Gajeel were starting to talk about birthing options. If that killer was still at large by the time she gave birth, they'd have no choice but to have a home birth, with Wendy seeing over it. Though... it seemed like Levy was leaning toward that option, anyways.

"The patient's I've done home births with were all far more relaxed than those that came to the hospital. It's a more comfortable setting, and allows for a more natural birthing experience." she'd told him once when they were talking about it. As long as mother and baby seemed to be healthy enough for it, a home birth was a great idea. Gajeel liked the idea, too. Levy would feel more comfortable here.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Gajeel was tired after working all day and dealing with the last-minute issue. Levy was content to just eat quietly, busying herself with her own thoughts. She was making a mental list of things they needed to get before the baby came. And she had plans to buy more things for the nursery, too. Their little girl would have the cutest room!

"Delicious like always, shrimp." Gajeel pressed a kiss to her lips after they finished, taking her plate from her and taking them to the kitchen. He came back to the table with a pint of chocolate ice cream and a spoon, grinning and handing it to his blushing wife.

"You're spoiling me, you know." Levy giggled, accepting the dessert. He just gave a soft chuckle and went back to the kitchen to wash their dishes while she enjoyed her treat. A few minutes later, he rejoined her at the table. He watched her eat her ice cream with a happy smile for a minute... and then he sighed softly as he decided now was as good a time as any to tell her what happened today.

"Levy... I'm gonna tell you what held me up tonight. But yer not gonna like it. I need ya to try and see it from my point of view, alright?" he started off cautiously, earning a curious look from his wife. She set her spoon down and nodded hesitantly. "Droy came to my office... he and Jet ran into who they think is the serial killer."

"W-what?" Levy asked in shock. "Are... are they okay?"

"As far as I know, they're both fine. But, Levy... he approached them with the intent to convince them to betray Fairy Tail." Gajeel told her seriously, taking a deep breath as he prepared to drop the bomb. "And Jet went with him."

Levy's eyes went wide at this information, and tears started to prick at her eyes as she realized the implications of his words. Jet went with the killer... and that labeled him as a traitor. And Fairy Tail killed traitors. She could see the remorse in Gajeel's eyes... and she knew he'd given the order to have Jet captured. He would be interrogated... and then it was up to Gajeel to decide his fate. But Levy knew... if Jet really betrayed them, Gajeel was going to kill him. There was nothing she could do to stop that or change Gajeel's mind.

Gajeel gently took her face in his hands as her tears started to fall. She didn't pull away like he half-expected. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs, giving her a sympathetic look. She knew exactly what would happen if Jet really turned out to be a traitor. But...

 _She wasn't begging him to spare Jet's life._

That spoke volumes to Gajeel. She either knew it was useless to try to save Jet... or she was starting to understand that killing traitors was for the best. Gajeel was fairly certain it was the latter. She was starting to understand that the family came first. Traitors were dangerous and should be destroyed... even if they were supposed friends.

"Levy... we still don't have all the information yet." Gajeel told her softly. "And please... please, don't get your hopes up with what I'm gonna tell you next." He pressed his forehead against hers, keeping her face in his hands. She just gave a slow nod, tears still slowly trickling down her face. "Droy thinks he's just trying to get information. If that's true, if there's proof that that's true... he's not a traitor." He told her softly, watching as hope began to fill her eyes. "Levy... don't get your hopes up. Please. I know it'll crush you enough if he turns out to be a traitor. Don't make it worse." he pleaded with her with a desperate whisper.

"But..." she whimpered, but paused. She knew he was right. As much as it pained her... she knew he was right. If she got her hopes up, she would only hurt more for it. She moved into her husband's arms with a quiet sob, feeling him embrace her firmly. She knew he hated being the one to tell her this... to tell her that one of her closest friends had likely betrayed the family... to tell her that it was very possible Jet would die... by his hands. She knew, deep down, he was only doing what needed to be done to protect the family. But hearing it still hurt horribly.

"Levy, I'm so sorry." Gajeel whispered into her hair as he held her close, trying to comfort her while she would still let him near her. "I'm so sorry. But you know what I have to do if he's guilty." He felt her nod against him with another sob. His heart ached for her. But this time, there was nothing he could do. His hands were tied. If Jet really was a traitor, he would die.

"Gajeel, please..." she sobbed into his chest. He tightened his hold on her. Here it was. The begging for Jet's life. He knew it would come soon enough.

"I'm not changing my decision, Levy." he told her firmly. But she shook her head against his chest. She pulled back and looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

"N-no. I... G-Gajeel, if he's really betrayed us," she whimpered and looked away, "p-please let me do it." Her request had his eyes going wide in shock, and he could help but stare at her with an open mouth. She... wanted to be the one to take Jet's life, if it came down to it. "I-If he's a traitor, t-then I'm the one he betrayed the most. It's my right... r-right?"

"Oh, Levy, I could never do that to you." Gajeel breathed, pulling her back into his arms. "I'd prefer I do it, and you hate me, than to have you do something like that."

"I could never hate you." she cried, clinging tightly to him. "You're my husband, and I love you so, so much. No matter what. B-but Jet... he's _my_ friend! If he's really a traitor, t-then he's betrayed me the most. Please, Gajeel..."

"Levy... I'll think about it." Gajeel sighed softly, rubbing her back soothingly. "But right now, we don't have any answers. Don't go making plans to do something like that yet. Okay?" he soothed, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple as he ran a hand through her hair. She'd really grown these past few years, and it showed. She knew how important the family was... knew that its safety was more important than her happiness... more important than her friend's life. She knew their laws... and she knew she was entitled to be the one to pull the trigger. She was willing to do it, too, despite the pain Gajeel knew it would cause her. He would let her, if it's what she truly wanted. It would be her final step to becoming a real mafia member. Blood would finally... truly be on her hands. _Blood spilled for the family's sake..._

"Just... relax, Levy. Try not to think about it too much. Please." Gajeel sighed softly. "Think about our little Emma. Please try not to get too stressed over this." he pleaded, placing his hand on her stomach. He needed her to focus on something positive, because he knew too much stress might send her into an early labor. The last thing he wanted was for anything to go wrong with her pregnancy. He wanted his wife and daughter to both be as healthy as possible.

"I'll t-try." she hiccuped against him, still clinging to him like he was her lifeline. Maybe he was. After all, he was now the only person she had full faith in that wouldn't betray her. And she found comfort in that. Her husband would never, _ever_ betray her. "I'll try..."

* * *

So... sorry for not updating Monday. I barely managed to update today. And I've got some bad news guys. I had about five chapter written up already. Had is the keyword. I don't know what happened but there was some glitch and I lost most of my documents already uploaded to . I only had this one saved because I was using word to spell-check and grammar check it. Haha so now you know my secret. And unfortunately that means I have to rewrite everything I already had written.

Which means... another break. I'm so sorry guys. With school in the way it's gonna take me longer than usual to rewrite everything I had up. I'm so sorry guys!

But anyways, please tell me what you think of this chapter! I tried to make it a bit emotional. Probably failed.

Thanks for reading!

-Nerdy12


	83. Six

**Chapter 83**

It was the dead of night when Gajeel was woken by his ringing phone. He was awake instantly, answering it with a hushed voice as he tried not to wake his sleeping wife. He felt her shift and stir, and he knew she'd been disturbed, despite his efforts. But hopefully she would go back to sleep if he was quiet enough. She often did, and she rarely noticed him leave in the middle of the night.

"What?" Levy was woken by her husband's voice as he answered the phone. After being told about Jet last night, she'd cried herself to sleep in Gajeel's arms. One of her closest friends had likely betrayed the family, and therefore betrayed her. It was very possible that he was going to die for it, too. She just... couldn't understand why. Why would he betray the family, when he knew it was the same as betraying her? Did he not care about her anymore? She thought they were friends...

"Fuck." Gajeel cursed quietly, clearly trying not to wake her. "Alright. I'll be ready by the time ya get here." he told whoever was on the other end of the phone. "No, bring them both." he ordered sternly. "Call my old man, too. Tell him ten minutes." He said, and then he hung up. He pulled himself out of bed, then, and Levy knew he was getting ready to leave.

"Gajeel." her quiet voice made him pause before he reached their closet. He turned back to her, frowning a bit as he realized she was awake the whole time. Her eyes met his, and he caught her pleading, questioning look. He sighed softly and nodded, silently telling her it's what she thought it was. Jet had been found, and was en route to the mansion. Her pleading eyes had him giving another sigh. He walked back to the bed and offered her his hand.

"We need to hurry, Levy. Get dressed." he told her quietly, helping her up out of bed. She nodded and accepted a quick kiss from him before he walked off to get changed into a suit. She went to the dresser and pulled on a simple white blouse and a black skirt. It was comfortable but professional-looking... but the blouse did hug her skin and show off her baby bump. Then again, everything she wore did that these days. "Here." Gajeel came up behind her when she finished getting ready. He'd dressed in record time, and had grabbed something from the closet. He wrapped it around her, and she realized it was a large black cardigan she could use to conceal her pregnancy as much as possible.

"Thank you." Levy said quietly as she slid her arms through the sleeves. She put on a pair of black flats, ran her fingers through her hair, then accepted her husband's hand. He led her out of their apartment at as brisk a pace as he knew she could move, keeping a firm hold of her hand. She looked up at his face as they walked. He was already in work mode, his eyes stern and cold and his jaw set firmly. Even so, he was rubbing soothing circles into her hand with his thumb, knowing this whole ordeal was only going to be stressful for her.

Metalicana and Lily were already waiting outside the entrance to the basement when they got there, and they both raised a brow at Levy's presence. They knew Gajeel and Levy were trying to keep the pregnancy a secret, so why was she here, where others would see her? The cardigan she wore helped to hide her pregnancy when she held it shut, yes, but it was still obvious if you looked at her too long.

"Wait up here. Don't let anyone see her." Gajeel ordered, gently urging his wife toward his father and her guard. The two men nodded and moved Levy to stand behind them while Gajeel went downstairs. Given her stature, she was easily hidden behind the two larger men. A simple but genius solution to their obvious problem of hiding her condition.

Gajeel frowned when he got to the basement and found several people there. Natsu had told him he and Gray would be there, but not that he'd called Igneel and Gildarts, too. They were discussing something quietly among themselves, but they went silent as Gajeel made his appearance. He looked around and found that Jet and Droy were both in cells, right next to each other. Droy was wringing his hands nervously, and Jet was pacing back and forth. Gajeel looked at Natsu and raised a brow in question.

"He came to the safe house." Natsu told him. "Walked right in with his hands raised. He knew we were waiting. Came peacefully." Gajeel hummed at this and looked Jet over. He seemed unharmed and was calm despite his pacing. His surrender certainly gave him some good points, but it wasn't enough to rule out his possible betrayal. Gajeel looked around the room again with a frown. He didn't need more people than necessary knowing about Levy's condition. He knew Natsu and Gray likely knew because of their wives, but he also knew they would not tell a soul. Gildarts, however, liked to gossip, and he didn't know Igneel closely enough to know if the old man might let it slip.

"Igneel, Gildarts, go home." Gajeel ordered, his voice firm and telling them they'd better not question it. They shared a confused look but obeyed the order and filed out silently. "Natsu, Gray, you can return to yer wives if ya want, or stay. Your choice."

"And leave you alone with them?" Natsu scoffed, glaring at Jet. He was fairly certain Jet was a traitor, and he'd be damned if he left the Don alone with a potentially dangerous traitor. Gray shared his sentiments.

"Have it your way. But I ain't alone. Go upstairs and have those three come down." Gajeel ordered, gesturing to the door. Gray did this, and returned shortly with Metalicana, Lily, and Levy. Jet and Droy turned surprised eyes to Gajeel when they noticed Levy's presence. Metalicana and Lily kept her mostly hidden behind them, but she peeked around them timidly. Why would Gajeel allow her to be down here, for what was obviously about to become an interrogation? Why would he let her see him do this to her friends? They just couldn't understand it.

"Jet." Gajeel's firm voice had all eyes on him. "Make this easy for everyone here and tell me what the hell is goin on." he commanded strongly, pining the slender man with a sharp glare. "If ya work with me, this won't get painful." Jet swallowed thickly and gave a hesitant nod, approaching the cell door.

"We went out for drinks. I was, um, complaining about Fairy Tail. Mostly about not being able to work and stuff like that." Jet began his tale cautiously. "This guy comes up out of the blue, and says he'd like to hire us for a job. Says there's lots of people bitter at Fairy Tail, and says that we can work and make money and get a little revenge without ever being noticed by Fairy Tail. All he wanted was information." Gajeel nodded at this. So far, it followed what Droy had told him. He knew Natsu made sure Jet and Droy rode over in separate cars and weren't able to share information with each other. It was common protocol, so Gajeel could trust that this much was true.

"What happened next?" he demanded.

"Droy told him he'd think about it, but wasn't good with information gathering." Jet said. Again, this matched what Droy said. "But I agreed and went with him. We got in a black car and went somewhere across town. The windows were super tinted, so I couldn't see any street names, but there was this old school building that was falling apart. Across the street was an abandoned gas station. He took me into the gas station and introduced himself as Midnight. Fake name, obviously, but it's all I got. He said there's lots of people that hate Fairy Tail, and he was a representative." Jet explained to the group. "He said he needed information, and that's it. Any information I could give him. And he would pay me a very large amount of money."

"What did you tell him?" Gajeel growled. His next words would be crucial to deciding if he was, in fact a traitor.

"I told him the truth... partially. I joined Fairy Tail as part of a merger, and I was assigned to the safe house." Jet explained. "He was very happy about that. He knew there's a big computer at the safe house with a lot of information on it, and he asked me if I had access to it. I told him I did."

"What else did you tell him?" Gajeel demanded. He needed to know everything Jet told him. Everything.

"That's all I told him, I swear." Jet promised. "And that was enough for him. He gave me a thumb-drive and told me to put it into the safe house's computer. If I did that, he would make sure to drop a large payment off at the bar, disguised as a package. The bar owner's apparently in his pocket."

"Where's the drive?" Metalicana asked. Natsu pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to the former don, who looked it over. "It's got a transmitter in it. As soon as you connect this to a computer, it will start to transmit any files to whatever destination it was programmed for." Metalicana grumbled. "High-tech stuff, he's got."

"Tell me anything else you know, Jet." Gajeel demanded firmly. "I need to know what he looks like, how he dresses, any special identifiers..."

"He's a pretty unique-looking guy." Jet explained. "Tall, skinny, kind of feminine-looking. His hair's black at the top and white on the bottom and he wears black lipstick."

"Odd, but keep going."

"He's got what looks like a family crest of some sort tattooed on his right shoulder. I can draw it out." Jet offered. Gajeel nodded at Gray, who supplied a pen and a piece of paper to Jet. He drew the crest and handed it to Gajeel, who looked it over curiously. It was two odd symbols he'd never seen before.

"That's Japanese." Levy's voice had Gajeel turning to look at her. She was peeking out from behind Lily, looking at the paper curiously.

"How do you know that?" he asked his wife with a raised brow.

"Grandeeny, um... _Porlyuscia_. She was Japanese. She came to Fiore as a child. I found some of her books in her native language, and asked her to teach me some." Levy told her husband quietly.

"Can you read this?" Gajeel questioned, showing her the paper. She looked at it for a moment before nodding.

"It's the kanji for six, and the katakana Ma. Rokuma." She told him. "I don't know what the Ma is. It's six of something."

"Demons." a new voice came, startling everyone. They all turned in the direction the voice came, further into the basement. Jude Heartfilia had been standing at the door to his cell since everyone filed in, watching everything going on with curious eyes. He scratched his growing beard and gave them all a knowing grin before focusing his eyes on Gajeel. "The Ma stands for demons. This Midnight person is part of the group known as the Six Demons. Their other name would be Oracion Seis."

"How the hell do you know that, old man?" Gajeel demanded with a growl, marching over to Jude's cell.

"Because that man you're looking for... Cobra." Jude locked eyes with Gajeel and gave him a serious stare. "He's one of them."

* * *

I finally had time to write up two chapters. I feel bad making you guys wait while I scramble to rewrite everything I lost, so here's a nice little cliffhanger for you guys. It's still going to be a while before we get back to the usual schedule. I'm sorry. But I'm working on it, I swear.

Anyways, thanks so much for your patience and devotion. I love you guys!

And please, please tell me what you think. I love the feedback, and it really helps motivate me to find time to write. Hint, hint.

Until next time!

-Nerdy12


	84. Jude

**Chapter 84**

"Who the hell are these guys. These Six Demons?" Gajeel growled, grabbing Jude Heartfilia by the collar of his shirt through the cell bars. "And why the hell ain't ya said anything about them before?!"

"You didn't ask." Jude shrugged. "You asked me about what information Cobra gave me, and where he's going. Nothing more."

"Don't get cheeky, old man. You'd better start talking now." Gajeel glared. Jude just raised his hands in surrender.

"I'll talk. No need to threaten." Jude agreed surprisingly easily. Then again, he'd already experienced Gajeel's 'interrogation' before, and he certainly did not want a repeat. "Oracion Seis is a group of six people who grew up in the slums of Crocus. They started as a group to help the little man. But they became like me. Greedy. Power-hungry. They wanted more members, more territory, and they tried to get it too quickly. Ended up being forced out of Crocus." he explained to the group. "From what I've gathered, they went from place to place, trying to find a place good enough to make their own. I suppose Magnolia is a great place for a crime syndicate to thrive. Obviously." he gestured to Gajeel in reference to Fairy Tail as a whole.

"So they want Magnolia? That's what this is about?" Gajeel scoffed.

"In summary, yes." Jude nodded. "They want you gone, and Magnolia to themselves. But there's only six of them, so it seems they've been taking unique approaches. Such as this serial killer you have now. Trying to undermine your power and make your members doubt your ability to protect them. I'm willing to guess there's quite a bit of unease in the family now, yes?" He grinned knowingly. Gajeel just growled and dropped him. It was true. The family was uneasy right now. People were starting to doubt Fairy Tail... doubt _Gajeel_.

"How the hell do you know so much about them? About what they want?" Gajeel demanded, not showing that Jude's words actually affected him. He was, after all, still new to leading the family, and trying his damn hardest to do just as good, if not better than, his old man. That... brought some confidence issues, not that Gajeel ever told anyone that. The only one that probably even suspected it would be his wife.

"I made it a point to dig up as much information as I can about anyone I met, before our war." Heartfilia admitted easily. "I'm ashamed to admit that, despite my research, I didn't see that Cobra was using me to get to Fairy Tail. To try and weaken you. Quite embarrassing, that failure was." Jude sighed. "Ah, but I did learn something I'm sure you'll be interested in hearing. Cobra has recently taken over as their leader."

"Who the hell was their leader before?" Gajeel frowned, but he felt like he knew the answer.

"Some guy named Brain." Jude confirmed his suspicions. "He wormed his way into Phantom Lord, advanced up the ranks quickly, and took over once Jose was dead and buried. From what I gathered, looking into that little war of yours, he very much wanted your wife. He wanted numbers on his side before the main showdown, and he was going to present your wife to the McGarden family in an attempt to get them on his side for the war. You sure mustered up quite a bit of strength very quickly and caught him off guard. If it weren't for that, I daresay Fairy Tail would have been severely weakened or even destroyed when Brain made his move."

"So that's what his plan was." Gajeel growled, glancing back at his wife, who had taken to hiding behind Lily at the mere mention of Brain. She still had nightmares to this day about Brain, about killing him. Even now, his name still had an affect on her. Gajeel sighed and looked back at Jude suspiciously. "Why are you telling us this so... easily?"

"Because," Jude said firmly, gripping at the bars of his cell and locking eyes with Gajeel, "like it or not, my daughter is part of your family. I want my daughter, my granddaughter, and my unborn grandson to be safe at all costs. I'm sure you relate, Gajeel Redfox, given your wife's _condition_." The older man gave Gajeel a knowing grin that made Gajeel bristle and glare furiously at him. How the hell did he know?

"What's he mean by that? Levy's condition?" Droy's voice came as he wondered aloud. Gajeel scowled once more at the grinning Jude before returning to the cells that held Jet and Droy. He looked to Levy and gestured for her to come stand beside him. She did so hesitantly and, when Gajeel nodded at her, she took off her cardigan. Jet and Droy stared at her in complete shock as she revealed her pregnancy to them. It was obvious she was very far along, and would be giving birth relatively soon.

"You two need to understand one thing." Gajeel got their attention with his firm voice. When they were looking at him, he continued. "Betraying the family is betraying Levy, and endangering her _and_ our unborn child. So if you got anything else ta say, now's the fucking time to do it."

"Boss, I... I told you everything I know." Jet assured Gajeel with a desperate look. "I would never betray Levy or the family. I swear it. But I saw a chance to get information and I took it. I swear that's all I did."

"We would never ever do anything to put Levy in danger." Droy added desperately. "We're not traitors. Honest, we're not."

"We'll see about that." Gajeel huffed, crossing his arms at them. "Yer both gonna stay down here for the time being. I'll make my decision once we take care of this killer." He said with finality. Jet and Droy deflated a bit that this but nodded solemnly. Gajeel turned and led Levy out of the basement, everyone else filing out after him. At the top of the stairs, Gajeel motioned for Lily to come over.

"I have to send out orders and do some paperwork. Take her back to the apartment, and keep her company." Gajeel sighed at Lily, gently urging his wife towards her guard. She hesitated in going with Lily, turning back to look at her husband with pleading eyes. "We'll talk about it in the morning, Levy. Please, just try and get some sleep." Gajeel asked her gently. She gave a small nod and accepted a quick kiss from her husband before following Lily down the hall. Gajeel sighed again and looked at his father, who was still looking over the thumb drive they'd recovered from Jet. "I got a plan ta catch this guy." He told the former Don. Metalicana looked up at this and grinned widely at his son.

"Say no more. Whatever it is, I'm in."

* * *

OMG guys I'm so sorry this is taking so long. I did NOT expect my life to get this busy, and I sincerely apologize. Unfortunately, I don't see things getting less hectic for a while, so I've decided to take a small break and update when I can, until I work far enough ahead to resume regular updates. Again, I'm so sorry. Please keep an eye out for me, because I really do care about you guys and this story and I have ZERO intention to abandon this story.

Thank you so much for understanding and sticking with me. I promise I will update whenever I can.

And please tell me what you think of this chapter. I don't lie when I say your comments motivate me to find time to sit down and write. They really do. This semester is just... omg it's so crazy, I can't even.

Thanks for Reading! I'll be back as soon as I can!

-Nerdy12


	85. Discussion

**Chapter 85**

"Are you sure yer up fer this, Juvia? I can always find someone else." Gajeel told his long-time friend, who seemed a bit nervous about the role she was to play. With good reason. She was putting her life in danger for the family's sake.

"Mr. Boss is certain this will work?" Juvia asked hesitantly, looking between the Don and her concerned husband. Gray had been very hesitant to agree to this. But Juvia was a fighter, even though she didn't look it. She used to be one of the family's best silencers, before she decided to settle down and focus on building a family. Still, Gray was confident in her ability to defend herself and stay safe on this very important job the boss had for her. That was the only reason he agreed to let her do this.

"Positive, Juvia." Gajeel nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "Trust me."

"Juvia trusts you." Juvia nodded firmly. "But she worries."

"You'll be watched closely the whole time, Juvia." Gray tried to assure his wife. "And you'll be back home with Mizumi and me in no time." He looked down at their three-year-old, who was holding tightly to her father's hand. Juvia nodded and gave her daughter a soft smile. Mizumi looked so much like Gray, despite having her blue hair and blue eyes. The little girl's face was a softer, more feminine version of Gray's. The little girl was a joy to be around, always cheery and carefree. She especially loved her father, but Juvia really couldn't blame her on that one.

"Juvia will do it. For the family." Juvia finally said, looking up at the Don with determined eyes. He grinned at her, happy to see that fire in her eyes, that fire he'd not seen since she quit being a silencer for the family. He knew he could count on her. With this, and with the tech he'd gotten from Freed, the family's technology expert and history keeper, the last piece fell into place on this trap.

They were going to get this serial killer once and for all.

And make him regret the day he decided to fuck with Fairy Tail.

* * *

Levy slowly eased herself down into the chair, giving Lily a sharp glare when he tried to help her. He quickly backed off at her fierce glare. She was already pissed off at him today, and he didn't need to make things worse. He went to stand by the door, crossing his arms with a small huff while his charge simply looked forward and gave a small smile to the two men in the prison cells in front of her. Jet and Droy looked like caged puppies to her, all sad and defeated. She hated seeing them this way... even though she knew there was a good reason for it.

"I'm sorry you guys have to stay down here." she told them softly, looking between the two.

"It's alright, Levy. We know why it has to be like this." Jet sighed, leaning against the bars of his cell. Droy just nodded silently in agreement as he sat on the stone ground close to the cell door. "Why are you down here? I thought the boss didn't want us near you." Jet questioned. The boss' decision hadn't changed on that. In fact, he seemed to want them as far away from Levy as possible now, thanks to this stupid serial killer mess. So he wondered why Levy was even down here? He smirked a bit at seeing his friend's eyes light up with determination and anger.

"Gajeel doesn't know I'm down here... and he's not _going_ to know." she stressed, turning a stern look to Lily. His jaw clenched in his own anger but he met her eyes with determination of his own.

"I cannot agree to that, Levy, and you know it." he told her firmly. He'd been extremely against this idea from the start and had been trying to dissuade her since she brought it up... until she snapped at him and declared she was doing it. She was going downstairs with or without him. He'd had no choice but to follow her. It was the only way to protect her. Levy just huffed at his words. Whatever, she would deal with Gajeel and his over-protectiveness later.

"Levy..." Droy got her attention and he gave her a pleading look. "Please, don't make the boss and Lily worry about you more than they already do." he told her gently. He didn't want her visiting them to put a strain on her relationships with Gajeel or Lily. And his words made her realize that it might, actually, do just that. She sighed heavily and looked at her lap.

"I just... I haven't even seen you guys in so long... and then this happens. I just want to talk to you." she told them quietly, feeling tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "You guys are my dear friends a-and... I... I'll never get this chance again, you know... if Gajeel decides you guys are traitors."

"Levy..." they stared at her with depressed looks. She... had a point. If Gajeel decided they were traitors, they would both die. And that... it would crush Levy. They knew that. "We're not traitors." Jet told her with a gentle voice, trying to reassure her. Anything to keep her from crying.

"I promise, we're not." Droy added. "We would never betray Fairy Tail. We would never betray you, Levy."

"I... I want so badly to believe you." Levy sniffed, wiping at her eyes as she refused to let her tears fall. "But... but Gajeel told me not to get my h-hopes up. If I-I believe you a-and you're... you're lying to me... d-do you have any idea how badly that will hurt?" She told them sadly, watching as they both seemed to sag in depression at this realization. The realization that Levy couldn't believe them, even if she wanted to.

"Surely you can convince Gajeel we're innocent, right? You know deep down we would never do something like that to you..." Jet attempted to ease her mind, but she just shook her head slowly.

"You... you don't understand. I... I stand by my husband's decision... b-because I know his decision will be based on facts, not emotions." She told them, giving them sad looks. She didn't have that kind of will power. She couldn't separate herself from her emotions, from the situation. She couldn't just step back and look at the facts and nothing else. But Gajeel could and he did and he did it so well. That's why... no matter what he decided, she knew without a doubt it would be the right call. She trusted him to do that. Even if the result would hurt her deeply. Even if the result meant she would have to personally take her dear friends' lives.

"Whatever Gajeel decides... I will stand by him. If you are really traitors... you _will_ die." she told them firmly, despite the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. They knew, then, that their fates relied on Gajeel and Gajeel, alone. Their friend could not and would not get them out of this. They just had to pray that the facts revealed they truly were not traitors.

"I... I didn't come down here to talk about all this." Levy sniffed, then, wiping at her tears again. "I just... I just want to talk like we used to. Won't you give me that, at least? Please?" she asked them with a pleading look in her eyes. Their eyes softened as they looked at her, and both men just gave solemn nods. They would do anything for her... to make her happy. Despite agreeing to that... an uncomfortable silence fell over them, as nobody really knew what to say now. Finally, Jet stepped up.

"So... how far are you?" he asked, looking pointedly at her stomach. Levy blushed lightly at this, but gave a gentle smile as she put a hand on her round stomach.

"Seven months. Her due date is Valentine's Day." she giggled softly at this, like she always did. It would be a wonderful Valentine's Day gift, if her daughter was born then. But she knew too well that due dates were wont to change and were very rarely the day the child was actually born.

"Her? It's a girl?" Droy picked up on that, giving a happy smile as he realized their best friend would be having a little girl.

"Yes. We're having a girl." Levy smiled with a nod. "And Lucy, she's having a little boy. She's about ready to pop, too."

"I heard she was staying here for the time being." Jet commented, earning another nod from Levy. "Are you going to deliver her baby?"

"Oh heavens, no." Levy giggled. "It's rather hard for me to move right now. Delivering a baby would be pretty hard. Wendy is on call, though, and she will be coming here once Lucy goes into labor."

"So, um... were we the only ones you didn't tell... about the baby?" Droy asked her curiously. Levy's smile softened a bit as she looked down at her stomach again.

"The only ones that know are you two, Lucy, Juvia, their husbands, Lily, and Metalicana." she told them quietly.

"Really? I would have thought you guys would make a bigger deal of it." Jet commented with a curious look in his eyes. "I mean, it's the Don's kid. I would have thought the family would be all over celebrating it."

"We're hiding it _because_ it's the Don's child." Levy told them. "You know Gajeel has a lot of enemies. It... it would be really bad if they found out I'm pregnant with his child. His enemies would do anything to get a hold of me... to get to Gajeel." She shook her head with a soft sigh. "No, we... we can't tell too many people. It's too dangerous. So please... don't tell anyone."

"We won't." Droy promised her while Jet nodded. He moved to say something more, but the door opening had them all turning their attention to the frantic pink-haired man that just hurried downstairs. He looked around as if searching for someone, and then his eyes landed on Levy.

"Levy, it's Lucy! Something's wrong!"

* * *

Oh. My. GOSH! I'M SO SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG OMG

I really, really, REALLY did not intend to take this long on updating and I'm so sorry guys! Thank you so much for being patient! I can't believe how crazy my life has gotten this past month. I thought things were supposed to calm down, not get more stressful! What was the point of my vacation, then?!

Ug. I'm sorry. Really, I am. I still don't have much written out for future updates but hopefully now I'm back on my game. I won't take another month (almost 2 months) off again... probably... I mean, hopefully...

ANYWAYS

Thank you for sticking with me and being so patient. Please, please, let me know how I'm doing. It's been a while so my writing style might be a bit off for a little while. Will try to get back in the groove.

Thank you thank you!

-Nerdy12


	86. Problems

**Chapter 86**

"It's Lucy! Something's wrong!" Natsu was, for the lack of a better term, distraught. She'd never seen him look so scared. The poor man was pulling at his hair and looked like he was half a second from going crazy, so Levy knew it had to be something serious. She stood up as quickly as she could, this time accepting Lily's help when he rushed to her to offer his hand. She couldn't afford to be petty and slow them all down. When it came to childbirth... some complications... let's just say, even seconds were precious. They could not waste an instant.

"Take me to her. Quickly."

* * *

 _"Station 4, in position. All clear."_

 _"Station 5, in position."_

"Roger. All stations are in position. Where are our special units?"

 _"Van 1, in position. Armed and Ready. Awaiting orders."_

 _"Van 2, in position. Ditto."_

 _"Um,"_ a timid voice came, _"Juvia is also in position."_

"Juvia, maintain radio silence on your end unless you feel you are in danger." Gajeel ordered into the radio, keeping his tone gentle. He knew the woman was nervous. She was a well-trained silencer for the family, but it had been years since she'd done any work like this. She was rusty, and now she had a husband and child she needed to stay alive for. She was up against a serial killer, whose only motive seemed to be killing the women related to Fairy Tail. They had little information on this man. They didn't know if he killed on site, or kidnapped then killed... and that only added to the stress. Juvia couldn't even wear a Kevlar vest, because it would show through her dress. Gajeel had insisted she change into something she could hide a vest under, but both his father and, surprisingly, Juvia insisted otherwise. It would look too suspicious if she suddenly changed the way she dressed and, as it was summer, she'd taken to wearing thin dresses that hugged her skin. They knew their serial killer had likely been tracking her for a few days, so acting out of the ordinary in any way might set him off.

Now it was a waiting game. Juvia was to follow the routine they'd agreed on, and if all went well... the killer would strike tonight. Because she had a habit of walking two blocks to the local pool in the evening to do laps. It was a habit she'd had most of her life, as she found the swims to be relaxing before bed. Sometimes she took her daughter, but mostly she went alone. It was the perfect chance for anyone with malicious intent to strike, and everyone was both hopeful and fearful about tonight. There was something dangerous in the air, and everyone could feel it. It made them all anxious.

"Everyone is in position. It's time to spring the trap." Gajeel declared into the radio. "Juvia. Start your walk."

* * *

Blood. There was so much blood. Too much blood. Poor Lucy was unconscious and laid in what looked like a pool of blood, and Levy felt her own blood leave her face in a wave. _This is bad!_ It took every ounce of professionalism and experience ingrained into her to keep her from panicking like Natsu was still doing. Instead, she steeled her nerves, hardened her face, and pinned Lily with a sharp stare.

"Call Wendy. Right Now. Tell her to go to the hospital and set up an operating room. Possibly placental abruption." she ordered sternly. Lily nodded and quickly pulled out his phone while Levy focused on Natsu, who was still freaking out. He wasn't listening to her, still panicking over his wife. "Natsu, listen to me!" Levy shouted, but she wasn't getting through to him. Doing all she could, she pulled her hand back and slapped him hard across the face. The shock of the hit and pain broke him from his panic, and he stared at her with wide eyes. "I need your help! Lucy needs your help! You need to stay calm and listen to me, understand?" Levy demanded sharply. The man nodded mutely, and Levy pointed to Lucy. "Pick her up. We need to get her to the hospital asap."

"But the security level..." Natsu looked conflicted even as he said that. Nobody was allowed in or out of the mansion right now, the only exception being Wendy and Gajeel.

"Fuck the security level, Natsu! She's going to _die_ if she doesn't get to the hospital ASAP." Levy warned coldly, watching the man swallow thickly. A second later he had his wife in his arms. He looked nearly in tears as he held her, her blood getting on his arms. Lucy was so pale, and she was drifting in and out of consciousness. She lolled her head against her husband's shoulder, and a sound came from her lips that could only be described of as pain. Levy knew they needed to hurry.

"Get her to a car. Quickly!" She urged both men out the door, and the trio was soon hurrying down the hall.

They passed the Don's office on their way, just as Gajeel was stepping out with Freed and his father. His eyes widened at seeing his wife out in the open, large belly very visible. Not only that, she was _running_! A cruse was about to leave his lips, and he moved as if to stop his wife from acting so stupidly in her condition. But then he saw the unconscious, bloody, pregnant woman in Natsu's arms, and the fear and concern in everyone's eyes, and his own eyes widened further as he put pieces together. The order for her to stop died on his lips. He knew they were going to the hospital, knew they were going to break the security orders. He knew his wife was likely putting herself in harm's way. But he also knew she wasn't stupid enough to risk their daughter's safety. Or hers. She was going to do what she could for Lucy... but right now that was limited to getting her to the hospital.

Still, the urge to go with her to protect her, even from herself, filled him. Yet he had a horribly important task to see to. Juvia's life, and the lives of countless other women were on the line. He needed to stay here. Instead, he turned a hard look to his father.

"Go with them. Don't let her do anything stupid." he ordered, but the former don was already heading towards Levy with just that look. Despite knowing his father would keep a close watch on Levy, Gajeel still tightened his jaw as he watched his wife hurry down the hall. He'd seen the look on her face. Her eyes were hard, determined, but he'd seen fear in them. The husband in him wanted to hold her and kiss away her fear. But he couldn't do that, and he'd noticed her look seemed to be directed at Lucy. He understood from a mere glance at his wife... she was afraid the baby might not make it. And she was afraid the same thing might happen to her... to their baby. To Emma.

"Boss?" Freed stood there, staring at everything in confusion and worry. They had a seriously important task to handle, but the scene he'd just witnessed was also important. He didn't even want to comment on the condition he'd just seen Mrs. Redfox in, because clearly he was not meant to know of her condition, since it had yet to be announced.

"My wife is handling this problem. We have our own to see to." Gajeel decided firmly, his jaw tense and his words clipped as he turned back toward his office. "Give me a report on Juvia's condition. Now."

* * *

Guys, you have no idea how busy my life has become. OMG. I won't go into details but some shit has happened and just... ug. But the good news is school is out, and I should definitely have more time to work on this more. Look for some updates on my other stories soon, too. I mean soon as, like, Monday or Tuesday. I work weekends now. Joy.

Anyways, thank you so much for being so patient! Please, please, please tell me what you think of this chapter and the rest of the story. Seeing everyone comment is really a huge motivator to sit down and type. Thank you so much for being so awesome!

Sincerely,

Nerdy12


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